There You Were
by TVDVampire
Summary: Stefan and Elena meet up six years after high school, believing that things could be as they once were, only to realize that life has something else in store for them.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Here it is! The new story I am starting. As I mentioned, this story will include a pregnancy for Elena. All human. It is a Stefan and Elena story, and other characters will make appearances. They are just too much fun to leave out. I am not sure how long this story will be. I suppose it depends on how much interest there is from you all.**

**Stefan and Elena's characters are different than they were in my last story. I wanted to write them differently to challenge myself.**

**Finally, this story is probably not what a lot of you had in mind when you found out about it. That being said, I ask that you give it a chance. Remember, I write Stefan and Elena. No matter what : )**

**Please let me know what you think by leaving a review. You can also send me a tweet! (TVDVampireKat)**

_There You Were_

"Will that be everything?" the young woman behind the counter asked. He nodded. "Okay, four thirty three please" she said, taking his credit card and swiping it through the machine. "I'll have that right up for you" she smiled sweetly.

"Thank you" he said, taking his card back and placing it in his wallet. He moved to the side to let someone else order. As he waited, he looked at photos on the wall. Some were of animals, some of buildings, and some of cars. None of them really made sense, but he really loved this little café.

"Mr. Salvatore" the girl said, holding up his coffee a few minutes later. Yes, he definitely frequented this little place on a daily basis. It was just down the street from where he worked. Often, he would take a walk on his break and come down here.

"Thanks Darcy. See you tomorrow" he said, turning around to leave, but bumping into someone instead. Before he knew it, the young woman was falling over. He grabbed her arm quickly, catching her and steadying her. "I'm so sorry" he said, letting go of her arm when he knew she could stand on her own. He examined his coffee and was relieved to see that none of it had gone on her or all over the floor.

She quickly pushed her hair behind her ears so that she could get a better look at the guy who had almost knocked her over. Her eyes lit up when she saw him and his did the same thing when he saw her. "Stefan?" she asked, almost in disbelief.

"Elena!" he said excitedly, setting his coffee down and pulling her into a hug. He hadn't seen her in forever. Well, since they were 18, so, if he did the math, almost six years. "How are you?" he asked, letting her go so that she could answer him. He hoped that he hadn't nearly choked her with the tight grip he had had on her. He couldn't help it though.

"I'm good" Elena said, fixing her hair once again. "Look at you! You look great" she said, smiling brightly like she always did. Her smiles were infectious. He really did look great though in his black slacks and green button down shirt.

"Me?" he asked. "Look at you! Beautiful as ever" he said, causing her to blush. She too, was dressed professionally.

"You always know just what to say to make a girl feel special" she smiled. He was definitely charming. He always had been. Starting the day he picked her a dandelion from the playground when they were five.

He wanted to tell her that she was special, to him anyway, but he decided to hold off. "What are you doing here?" he asked instead.

"I had a meeting up this way so I figured I'd stop in and try this place out" she told him. "I live in the city now though. I have for about a year" she added.

"Really?" Stefan asked. How did he not know that Elena Gilbert was living in the same city as him?

Elena nodded. Then, she checked her watch. "Oh, I really hate to rush this, but I have to get back" she told him regretfully. She had really just stopped by to get some tea and a muffin.

Stefan looked at his phone and realized he was going to be late as well. "Yeah, I have to get going too" he told her. "But hey, why don't we get dinner tonight?" he asked.

Elena seemed to perk up at the idea. "I'd love that" she smiled.

"Great. How about Acacia at six?" he asked.

Elena nodded. "I know where that's at. I'll see you at six" she told him.

He took a moment and just stared at her. It had been so long, after all. "I'm so happy I bumped in to you" he told her, giving her one of those looks that would make all the girls melt. He leaned in and kissed her cheek. "I'll see you at six" he said, grabbing his coffee and taking off.

Elena turned and watched him leave, waving when he looked back one last time. She took a seat and sighed. It had been way too long, yet, it felt like nothing had changed.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

Stefan didn't know why he was so damn nervous waiting outside the restaurant for her to arrive. He had known Elena since they were five years old and even after all that time apart, everything felt completely normal when they had bumped into each other earlier that day. He also realized that it was probably completely stupid to be waiting outside in the cold, just sitting there.

He was 30 minutes early, having glanced at his phone a million and one times to see if she had sent him a message or to see if he had missed her call. But she hadn't called or sent him a message, so he figured she was still on her way. She was never late usually.

When it was ten minutes till, he saw a car pull up to the curb and park. His heart started beating even faster when she got out of the car and waved at him. He rushed to greet her from his seat on an outside bench, cursing himself when he didn't reach her in time to shut her door for her. "Hey" she smiled.

"Hey yourself" he said, holding out his hand to help her step up onto the sidewalk. She took it without hesitating, only letting go when she was on it. "Is this place okay?" he asked as he opened the door for her. Maybe he should have asked Elena where she would have liked to go.

"It's perfect" Elena said, standing just inside the waiting area as they waited for a table. Once they were seated and the menus were opened, Elena launched right into a conversation. She was usually a chatty one, though he never minded because he loved listening to her. He loved her bubbly personality and the way she could talk to anyone and make them feel important. It was hard to find people like that anymore. "So" she said, setting down her menu. "Tell me what you've been up to" she said, taking a sip of her water that had been placed on their table.

Stefan set his menu down too. "Well, I got my Master's in Business Administration and I'm in charge of the Pediatrics department now, here in the city" he told her.

Elena's eyes grew wide. "Wow. You've been busy" she smiled. "That's awesome, though. You always talked about getting your business degree and working in a hospital setting" she said.

"You remembered" Stefan said, more to himself than to her. He had only mentioned to her wanting to work in a hospital once or twice before they graduated.

Elena laughed. "It hasn't been that long, Stefan" she said, still laughing lightly. It made him smile though. Six years. It had been six years since the last time he saw her. And it felt like a lifetime ago when he thought about it.

"So what about you?" he asked. "What have you been up to?"

"I'm a teacher" she said proudly. "I teach at a private school here in the city" she added.

"That's awesome, Elena" he told her. "I'm really happy for you. You always talked about being a teacher" he said. Then he laughed, remembering back. "Do you remember when you would want to play "classroom" and you would make me and Jeremy and Caroline all sit in front of your dry erase board while you taught us?" he asked.

"Yes, I remember" Elena said, smiling at the memory. She had always loved to teach people. "Speaking of Caroline, have you heard from her?" she asked. She had practically lost touch with everyone except for her brother.

Stefan nodded. "Yeah. She's married to my brother" Stefan said.

Elena's eyes grew wide again. "Damon? She married Damon?" Elena asked in disbelief. There was no way. Absolutely no way. She hated Damon. And he didn't exactly like her either.

"Yep. Drunk one night in Vegas" Stefan said, reading off his request to the waiter who popped by their table.

Elena did the same before turning her attention back to Stefan. She leaned over the table slightly and lowered her voice. "They didn't want to get a divorce?" she asked.

Stefan shrugged. "You know how my family views divorce" he said. They didn't agree with it. And Damon was not about to disgrace his family.

"Are they happy?" Elena asked.

Bless her heart. While Stefan thought his brother had what was coming to him by being stuck in a loveless marriage, Elena was concerned about Damon and Caroline's relationship. So Stefan just shrugged. "They're learning" he told her. Elena nodded, seemingly uncomfortable. Stefan didn't like that. "Enough about my brother. What about yours?" he asked, changing the topic slightly.

Elena smiled and soon forgot about Damon. "He's good. He's traveling right now. Seeing the world before he starts college" Elena answered. Although she missed her brother more than anything, she was happy for him. He had always wanted to see Europe.

Stefan had always taken an interest in Elena's brother Jeremy. He was a good kid who found himself in a bit of trouble every now and then, but Elena was always there to get him out of it. With Stefan's help, most of the time. "That's good to hear" Stefan said. "And Bonnie?" he asked curiously. The best friend.

Elena's smile slowly faded and Stefan felt like it was a question he shouldn't have asked. "I haven't … umm … talked to her … in a year or so" she admitted, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. That was something she had done for as long as he could remember.

Her eyes looked so sad and all Stefan wanted to do was pull her into a hug. Sure he wanted to know what happened between them. Bonnie and Elena had been almost inseparable. "I haven't talked to Tyler lately, either" Stefan said instead, making a clear joke that only she would probably understand.

Luckily for him, Elena laughed. "You two hate each other" Elena reminded him. "I was surprised to see you two friend each other on Facebook a few years ago" she added.

"Yeah, I blocked him" Stefan admitted. "There's only so much I can take of having to read him complain about all the women he dates." He felt relieved to see her smiling again.

"Uh huh" Elena grinned. "So, tell me. Are you seeing anyone?" she asked him, taking another sip of her water.

Stefan shook his head no, still smiling at her. "No" he answered.

Elena shook her head. "You are a great guy Stefan" she told him. His eyes lit up upon hearing her say this. "You are going to make someone really happy one day" she added.

Stefan stared at her for a moment, thinking about why he never let any of his relationships go past the third or fourth date. He knew why. Then he refocused. "So, what about you? Are you seeing anyone?" he asked. He was nervous to hear her answer, but he needed to know. For his own sanity.

Before Elena could answer, the food had arrived and the question was forgotten. It was nice, just having her there. Her presence was enough to make his entire night.

When dinner was over, Stefan had suggested that they go for a walk. The temperature had dropped slightly, but they both had jackets on. The pace they kept was slow until they ran out of sidewalk. They were on a path that followed along the James River. They turned and faced the water that showed the moon's reflection. "I had a really nice time tonight" Elena said, turning just slightly to look up at him. She had missed him so much.

"I did too" Stefan said, smiling down at her. He wanted to see her again. He needed too. "Do you want to get lunch tomorrow?" he said, a little too eagerly maybe because he watched her eyes quickly avoid his and her smile fade.

"Stefan" she said, making his heart drop. She had that effect on him. "There's something you should know" she added.

Stefan now felt like a brick building had fallen on him. This was the moment where she was going to tell him that she was seeing someone. That she had a boyfriend. Of course she would. She was beautiful, inside and out. He didn't know if he could handle hearing her tell him that though.

"I'm … I'm pregnant" she told him, finally looking at him and expectantly waiting for his reaction.

He wasn't sure if his facial expression had changed. He realized that she was searching his eyes for a reaction, so maybe his face had remained neutral. "Congratulations" he finally told her, forcing a smile. It was the only thing he could think to do. "So, uh, who's the lucky guy?" he asked. He really didn't want to know. It would only rub salt into his already opened wound.

Elena seemed to falter with her answer. "Well … he uh … he doesn't want to … you know … he doesn't want to be a part of the baby's life" she finally got out. "Or mine, now" she added.

Stefan didn't know if he was angry or relieved. He definitely was concerned, though. "I'm sorry, Elena" he said quietly, looking out over the water. Anger won out though, he decided, because all he wanted to do was find the guy and punch him for doing this to Elena.

But Elena quickly shook her head. "It's okay" she smiled. "I'm ready to do this alone" she added. She had thought about it a lot. Prepared herself. She was going to be fine.

Stefan seemed to just nod. That was so typical of her, to make the best out of a crappy situation. "So, uh, how far along are you?" he asked awkwardly. He hadn't even noticed anything with her jacket on. He also wondered if it was appropriate to ask her that.

Elena seemed to relax a bit. She was so worried that Stefan would be disappointed in her. But he seemed to be more interested than anything. "Four and a half months" she told him.

"Boy or girl?" he asked. It was all he could think to do. Ask questions.

"I don't know yet" she said. She would find out at her next appointment in a few weeks. Stefan nodded yet again. There was an uncomfortable pause. "It's getting late" Elena said. "I should probably get going" she added.

"Yeah" Stefan said, turning to walk with her. The walk back to her car was much quicker. And quieter. Stefan could see Elena's breath as they walked and he felt terrible for dragging her out on a walk. Had he known, he wouldn't have suggested it.

When they made it to her car, Elena stopped and looked at him. "Thank you again for dinner" she told him, knowing it was the last time she would probably see him for a while. Her pregnancy didn't exactly leave a lot of room for spending time with Stefan.

Stefan smiled. It was amazing how much a person could change without really changing at all. If that made any sense. "So, lunch tomorrow?" Stefan asked, catching her off guard.

Elena's mouth dropped open some, ready to remind him of the fact that she was pregnant. But the look in his eyes, the focus he had on her, made her stop. "Are you sure?" she asked hesitantly.

"Absolutely" Stefan smiled. "Meet me at that little café we bumped into each other at today" he said. They had the best food. "What time are you on your lunch break?" he asked.

"Twelve" Elena said, excitement building up in her. She thought for sure Stefan would continue to be awkward and not want to spend time with her. Truth of the matter was, she was lonely.

"Twelve it is" he said. "I'll see you tomorrow" he told her, placing his hand against her cheek and kissing her other cheek.

"Bye" she smiled, getting into her car.

"Bye" he told her. He stepped back onto the sidewalk and watched until her car had turned off onto another road. Then he let out a breath that he felt like he had been holding since Elena told him the news.

Pregnant. And alone. He couldn't believe that someone would walk out on her like that. He was proud of her though for being so brave and he knew that she could raise a child all on her own. He just didn't think that she should have to.

**A/N: So, what do you think? Should I continue? **


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: The reviews for the first chapter were great! Keep them coming. I honestly do read them all and take into consideration everything that you write :D Thank you so much for your continued support. I hope this story will be just as successful as the last one.**

**I should also probably state that I do not own The Vampire Diaries. I am just borrowing the characters for entertainment (therapy) purposes. **

Nothing could have put Stefan in a bad mood that night after his dinner with Elena. Not even his spoiled, self-centered brother who happened to be perched on Stefan's front step when he returned home. "There you are!" Damon shouted to him as Stefan got out of his car. "Do you know how long I have been sitting here waiting for you?" he asked, completely irritated.

"Nope" Stefan said, digging his keys out of his pocket. "Why are you even here?" Stefan asked, opening the door.

Damon came right on in with Stefan, whether Stefan wanted him to or not. "I need the keys to the boat. I'm taking it out this weekend" Damon answered.

Stefan tossed his keys on a nearby table and continued into the kitchen. "Where are your keys?" Stefan asked.

"I don't know" Damon shrugged. Irresponsible could have been Damon's middle name. "You should come with me out on the lake Saturday. Just us two. No women. No work. Nothing but beer and the sun shining down on us" Damon said, painting the perfect picture in his head. Well, not the perfect picture for Stefan.

Stefan knew he couldn't say no, if he wanted to get rid of Damon anytime soon. "Fine" Stefan said, grabbing the boat keys off a hook. "Keep the boat in one piece this time, will you?" he asked, tossing Damon the keys.

Damon glared. "I only wrecked last time because that other boat didn't stop!" he said, defending himself. Stefan just shook his head and went back to the living room. "So, where were you tonight?" Damon asked, following Stefan.

"Out" Stefan replied, grabbing his book off of the coffee table that he planned to read later that night.

"With that hot nurse?" Damon asked. "She is freaking hot. You'd be an idiot not to chase after that" he added with his signature smirk.

"Then I'm an idiot" Stefan said, walking up the stairs. "Goodnight Damon" he called behind him, hoping Damon would take the hint and go home.

The truth was, the nurse who had been flirting with him was attractive and they had gone out on a few dates and had fun. But something kept him from taking it further. Something always did.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

Stefan stood up from his seat and practically ran to the door when he saw Elena approach. He opened the door for her, smiling the whole time because he had been looking forward to this all day. He smiled all day long at work from the moment he arrived. He told all of the kids at the hospital that he was having lunch with a very special person today. The kids of course teased him, but he didn't care. He had always made an effort to get to know the patients that came in and out of his department, even if he wasn't the one providing the direct medical care. He was friends with the doctors, nurses, and other staff as well. Everyone loved him and he preferred it that way.

"Thank you" Elena said, walking past him and in from the cold. Her cheeks were slightly pink from the cold air outside, but she quickly warmed up as she entered the small café. Stefan walked close behind her, pulling her chair out for her when they reached their table. Elena untied her jacket and slipped it off, already feeling warm enough without it. It was in that moment that her pregnancy sort of became a reality for him. When he could physically see her stomach. Though she wasn't huge by any means, she was noticeable. He looked away quickly, feeling as though he should not be staring at her. Elena caught on pretty quickly though. "I can put my jacket back on if it will make you feel more comfortable" she told him. She was used to people's reactions now. Usually, people were excited when they saw her, until she explained her situation and then it was like she was a horrible person for not having a father for her baby.

Stefan shook his head, feeling incredibly guilty. "No, I'm sorry" he told her. "I guess I'm just still processing all of it" he told her apologetically.

Elena smiled. He was always so honest with her. "I am too" she told him. "I mean, I know I'm pregnant. But some days I wake up and the reality of it hits me all over again" she told him.

He nodded because it made sense. "I promise. I won't act weird around you anymore" he said with a smile that made her laugh. "Last time, I swear" he told her.

"You better not" she told him, taking her seat. Stefan went and sat down across from her. "You can talk to me about it if you do start feeling uncomfortable" she reminded him. Stefan nodded. He knew that. "Whatever you do, just please don't pity me" she added, her tone much more serious.

Stefan looked up and caught her eyes with his. He could tell right away that all she had received since finding out she was pregnant was pity or judgment, both of which he would never do. "Never" he promised her.

"Thanks" she said, smiling softly before picking up a menu. She wanted to change the subject. "So what is good here?" she asked, scanning the menu.

Stefan followed her lead, changing the subject. Usually she liked to talk about things, unless those things were really bothering her. Then she held off, not wanting bother anyone else with her troubles. So he let her be. "Everything, but the sandwiches especially" he told her, setting down his menu.

Elena scanned the menu a few times before deciding. She set her menu down. "Turkey" she said. She had been craving it all week.

"Turkey it is" Stefan smiled, standing up to go and order at the counter.

Elena stopped him. "I'm buying lunch today" she told him, opening her purse. She stood when she found her wallet.

"I'm not letting you pay for lunch" he informed her.

"You're not letting me?" she asked. "You bought dinner last night" she reminded. Fair was fair.

"Yes, because I invited you both times, therefore, I pay" he reasoned.

"Okay, so if I were to invite you to dinner on Saturday, you would let me pay?" she asked.

Stefan smiled. "Are you inviting me to dinner on Saturday?" he asked.

Elena smiled too. "Yes, but only because I need to ask you for a favor" she replied. Stefan was fairly excited that he would be seeing her again.

"Whatever it is, the answer is yes" he told her. "And you can tell me when I get back from paying for lunch" he said, sneaking off quickly to the counter, leaving her there with an open wallet in her hand.

Elena shook her head, closing it up and placing it back in her purse. Stefan had never, ever let her pay for anything when they were out and about together. Even when she took him out to dinner for his birthday, he always insisted he paid. It wasn't a control thing though. It was a Stefan thing. Whenever she questioned him about it, he simply told her that the guy was supposed to pay.

Had any of their friends told her what they thought was the reason, she would have heard that Stefan had the biggest crush on her and that's why he paid for everything. Everyone but Elena knew how much Stefan liked Elena. It was quite obvious when he was always buying lemonade for her when they were younger from the lemonade stand or paying for her movie ticket and snacks when they were old enough to go by themselves to the theater. But Elena had never seen what they had.

When Stefan returned, he had brought with him two glasses of water. "So what is this favor?" he asked, sitting back down.

Elena leaned forward in her seat, pulling out a few papers from her purse. "I'm shopping around for a house and I know you have some experience in that department" she told him. "I was wondering if you could go with me on Saturday to look at a few houses. I'm meeting with a realtor" she said, waiting to see if he could or not. She just felt so lost when it came to knowing what was a good buy and what wasn't.

"You're moving?" Stefan asked.

Elena nodded. "My lease is up on my apartment in a few months and I don't want to renew it for another year" she explained. "Besides, my apartment is fine for one person, but I'd like to have a house with a yard, close to a park" she explained, thinking ahead for the future. "I'd like to get this all figured out before the baby is born" she added. Stefan looked at the papers Elena handed him and looked at the properties she was interested in. He knew where most of them were. "So do you think you could go with me?" she asked, hopeful.

Stefan smiled. "I already said my answer would be yes to anything" he reminded her. "So yes, I will go with you." Sure. He had plans to be out on the lake with Damon on Saturday. But when he weighed his options, spending the day with Elena far outweighed spending an afternoon with his brother.

"Thank you" Elena told him. She felt relieved. Buying a house was a big step for her and she didn't want to pick the wrong one. She was running out of time before the baby arrived.

"You're welcome" he told her. She leaned back in her chair and sighed. Even after all these years, he was still the one she went to for help. That had to count for something.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

"What do you mean you're not going out on the boat with me today?" Damon asked, standing in Stefan's living room with his arms across his chest. "We had this all planned out. What could be more important than spending time with your brother?" Damon asked.

"Anything" Stefan muttered under his breath. "Why don't you take Caroline?" Stefan asked.

Damon scoffed. "Because she will complain the whole time that the wind is messing up her hair" Damon replied.

Stefan shrugged. "Sorry. Something came up" he told him, grabbing his wallet.

When there was a knock on his door, Stefan froze. Elena was early. She had talked him in to letting her pick him up so they could go and meet the realtor. Stefan had planned on getting rid of Damon before Elena got there. "Who is that?" Damon asked. Damon walked towards the door, despite Stefan telling him to stop. When Damon opened it, he froze briefly, but recovered quickly. "Elena?" he asked in shock. He turned back to look at his brother who did not seemed shocked. So Stefan was ditching him for Elena today?

"Hi Damon" Elena smiled. "Been a long time" she said, taking him in. He was still quite handsome with his dark hair and blue eyes. He probably hadn't changed much either.

Damon smiled at her, beginning to scan his eyes down her body. "It sure has" he grinned. Then his eyes fell on her stomach. She had taken her coat off because she had gotten too hot in her car. "Oh, Elena" he said with a dramatic tone. "What happened to you?" he asked, pointing at her stomach in even more shock.

"Damon!" Stefan snapped, running towards the door.

Luckily though, Elena was used to Damon by now. "I got knocked up, Damon" Elena said, watching his eyes light up at her choice of words.

Damon grinned before turning towards Stefan. "Did you do this?" Damon asked, pointing at her stomach again.

Stefan swore his face drained of color. Damon was beyond mortifying. But Elena just laughed. "No, Damon. It wasn't Stefan" she assured him.

Damon seemed to sigh with relief. Then he grabbed her hand and studied it momentarily. "You're not married?" Damon questioned.

"Damon!" Stefan snapped again. He was seriously going to hurt his brother if he didn't stop.

Elena shook her head no, but she smiled. "It's a long story, but no, I'm not" she told him.

"And we're going to be late" Stefan said, pushing Damon out of his house and locking the door.

"It was good seeing you again Damon" Elena said politely, walking with Stefan to her car.

"Same to you, Elena" Damon told her, watching the two of them walking together. It was like high school all over again. Except she was pregnant.

"I'm sorry about him" Stefan said once they were in her car. He leaned his head back against the seat and closed his eyes.

Elena just laughed again. "Don't worry about it, Stefan. Damon is just … well … Damon" she said, pulling her car out of his driveway. Stefan couldn't agree with her more. "Besides, I've had a lot worse things said to me about my pregnancy" she added.

Stefan furrowed his brow. "What do you mean?" he asked.

Elena looked over at him and laughed softly. "Come on, Stefan" she told him. "I work at a private school with a bunch of snooty tooty people who hold very strong values about marriage and family" she said, enlightening him. "Me being pregnant without a husband doesn't exactly fit with their ways" she added.

Stefan didn't like that at all. "Yeah, but you're in a place right now where you can take care of yourself and your baby. What is it any of their business anyways?" he asked, looking at her.

Elena smiled. He always tried to be so logical. "Everything is their business, Stefan" she told him. Every day she was asked when she was going to get married. Every day she told them she wasn't getting married any time soon. And every day, she was told that it was wrong for a woman to be pregnant if she was not married. And, every day, Elena stood there smiling, taking every bit of crap they could dish out to her.

"So why don't you quit and go and find another school to teach at?" he asked her.

"Because. No one is going to hire me when I am going to have to go on maternity leave in a few months" she reminded him. "At least where I am now, they have to give me the time off and then give me my job back when I am able to return" she explained.

Stefan nodded. That made sense. "I'm sorry they are so horrible to you" Stefan told her.

Elena again looked over at him, smiling. "I really do love my job, despite the people I work with. The kids are great. They make it all worthwhile" she told him. She turned her attention back to the road while Stefan watched her for a moment. She really did try and find the good so that she could still put up with the bad. She always had.

They finally arrived at the first house that Elena wanted to look at. It was pretty far away from his house, on the other side of the city. Stefan wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. "Elena" the realtor smiled, reaching for her hand.

"Thank you so much for meeting with me" Elena said, as friendly as ever. "This is my friend, Stefan. He's going to be joining us, if that's okay" she said, turning to look at Stefan with a happy smile on her face.

"Nice to meet you" the realtor said, shaking Stefan's hand. Stefan nodded. "Shall we?" he said, leading them up the stairs to the front door.

Stefan was right behind Elena when he noticed what appeared to be a weak spot in the wood porch. Elena stepped, ready to follow the realtor inside when Stefan stopped her. He stepped carefully instead and they both heard the wood crack slightly. They both looked at each other. "That can be fixed" Elena shrugged, taking Stefan's hand and allowing him to carefully help her over it.

Stefan didn't like the house already. The inside wasn't bad, it just wasn't great. It was small and he could not imagine a child running around in it. And the outside needed a lot of work. Elena seemed to be thinking about it though. "So?" she asked after the tour of the house was done. The realtor had gone outside, giving them some privacy.

"It would need a lot of repairs" he told her. In his honest opinion, the best thing for it would have been a bulldozer. "Let's see the next one."

Elena nodded, taking his opinion seriously. The next house was a few miles away and further into the city. Stefan hadn't liked that one either. It was too close to a busy road. The third house was on a hill and Stefan was concerned about a possible landslide due to heavy rains. The fourth house was in a neighborhood that Stefan didn't like. The fifth didn't have a big enough kitchen.

By the tenth house they saw, Elena was about ready to give up. She was tired, for starters, and slightly annoyed that Stefan had found something wrong with every house that made it not worth buying. Elena apologized to the realtor for seemingly wasting his time. "So out of all ten of these houses, you didn't find one that I should buy?" she said, crossing her arms.

Stefan shrugged. "I just don't think any of those houses were right for you" he told her. "Buying a house is a big commitment. I just want you to pick the right one" he added.

Elena rubbed her eyebrow and he could tell she was a little frustrated. "I think you are forgetting that my lease is up on my apartment in a few months and I kind of need to find a place" she reminded him. Elena sat down on the steps to the last house they were at and sighed. After she did buy a house, it would take time to process and then time to get moved in. She really was running out of time.

Stefan felt bad. He really was just trying to look out for her. He sat down next to her and sighed. "Look, I'm sorry" he told her. "I just think you need more time to look around. More houses will be available all the time and there's probably a lot of houses you missed while you were searching" he explained to her.

"So you think I should stay in my apartment for another year and then buy a house?" she asked, turning to look at him. She had really wanted to be in a house by the time the baby was born.

"No" Stefan answered. If she didn't want to be in her apartment for another year, he didn't think she should have to be. "I think you should move in with me until you find a house you like" he told her without a single hesitation running through his mind.

**A/N: Yeah, this is definitely not a cliffhanger :p**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Nothing too big happens in this chapter, but I did want to introduce Caroline. I am also thinking about including some flashbacks of Stefan and Elena from when they were younger (between ages 5 and 18). **

**Thank you again for all of the reviews! I really appreciate the support and feedback :D**

Elena searched his eyes, looking for even one small hint that he was kidding about asking her to move in with him. "What?" Elena asked. "You're kidding, right?" she asked again. But he did not look like he was.

"No" Stefan stated, continuing to stare at her. "I have plenty of room. You can stay as long as you want to and I can continue to help you look for a house" he explained. "That way, you aren't under any pressure to buy a house until you are absolutely sure you find the right one." Again, more reasoning. He was pretty good at that.

Elena shook her head and laughed at how ridiculous his offer was. "You are the sweetest guy I think I have ever met" Elena told him. His eyes got brighter as he listened to her say that. He loved compliments from her almost as much as he loved giving them to her. "And I appreciate your offer, but you do not want a pregnant woman living with you" she told him. The brightness in his eyes faded. He wanted her to say yes. "How are you supposed to bring your dates home when I'm living there?" she asked him. That would not go over well with about almost anyone he dated.

Stefan wanted to tell her that he didn't bring his dates home. Neither did he usually go back to their places either. "That won't be an issue" he assured her.

"I'm sure the girls you bring home will disagree with you" Elena told him.

"I don't bring them home" he said quickly. "I haven't really been dating anyways" he added.

"Well having me there won't help" she told him, placing her hand on his knee in a comforting manner. "You're a great guy, Stefan. Put yourself out there. You might be surprised by who you meet" she smiled.

Stefan held her eyes for a few moments before breaking contact. He wished he could tell her exactly how he felt. That he loved her. But it was not the right time. She was not ready. "I know what I am asking you, Elena" he told her. "I wouldn't ask you to move in if I didn't want you to" he said, trying one last time to get her to change her mind.

Elena smiled. "You're such a liar" she told him. "You would have asked me no matter what because you like to look out for me" she added. It was nice, knowing that he was there for her. But she still did not want to impose.

Stefan grabbed her hand that was still resting on his knee and held on to it. "I'm asking you because I want to, not because I feel like I have to" he said. Besides, it would be nice to have someone else in the house with him. It got lonely.

Elena sighed. "And if the baby came before I was able to move out?" she asked. That was a real possibility, especially if she did not find a house she liked in time.

Stefan shrugged, not seeing an issue with that. "Then there will be a baby in the house" he said, a smile forming at the thought. "We can get a nursery set up just in case" he added. Elena almost looked like she wanted to cry, but she was fighting it. "There's no hurry for you to move out. You can stay as long as you want."

Elena looked away from him, fearing that she would cry if she kept staring into his eyes. He was so good to her, always had been. He was trying to make things easier for her. Like he always did. "Can I think about it?" she asked him, still staring ahead of her.

Stefan nodded. "Of course" he said, hiding a smile that wanted to escape from him. She hadn't said yes. But, she also hadn't said no. "Why don't we do dinner at my house tonight? You can come inside and look around. It might help you decide" he told her.

Elena moved a piece of hair out of her face before she looked at him again. "I was supposed to buy you dinner tonight as a thank you" she reminded him.

Stefan decided not to get into an argument with her now about dinner. Not when she was so close to agreeing to come and stay with him. Actually, argument was not the right word. They never argued. Sometimes they would bicker, but they both knew it was nothing serious. "We can order in and you can pay for it" he decided.

Elena thought about that for a moment. "Okay" she agreed. It sounded good to her. Besides, she couldn't deny that she was just a little curious to see what the inside of his new house looked like.

Stefan checked his watch. "By the time we get back, it will be time to call in an order" he said, standing up. He held his hand out to her, which she accepted, and helped her up. He began walking with her at a leisurely pace.

"Can we invite Caroline over for dinner?" Elena asked, chancing a glance at him to see his reaction. She hadn't seen Caroline in a long time either.

Stefan liked Caroline. She was a bit dramatic at times, but she was a nice girl. The only problem was, Damon would want to come over too. But one look at Elena's hopeful face and he couldn't tell her anything but yes. "I'll send her a text right now" he said, taking out his phone. "You do realize Damon will probably be coming with, right?" he asked.

Elena shrugged. "That's okay" she told him. "I don't mind Damon. He has a good heart, deep down" she said, the corners of her mouth turning up into a smirk.

Stefan smirked right back. "Deep, deep, deep down" he added for her. Elena laughed as she got into her car. Stefan got in as well, trying to hold on to her laughter for as long as he could. He had missed it so much.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

Pizza. Elena had wanted pizza, which was fine by Stefan. He hadn't had pizza in a few weeks. Four different kinds, because Elena wanted to make sure everyone had something that they liked. Stefan had a feeling he would be eating pizza for days though because four was too much. But she was happy and so was he. Even as he stood by the door and uncomfortably watched her pay for the pizzas. Elena grabbed the four boxes and Stefan shut the door for her. She was grinning from ear to ear.

"At least let me pay for half" he told her, taking his wallet out. Sixty eight dollars was a lot to spend on pizza.

"Nope" Elena said, placing the pizza on the kitchen counter. Damon and Caroline were due to arrive soon. Stefan leaned against the counter and crossed his arms. "And don't even think about putting the money in my purse when I'm not looking" she added.

Damn. He was going to do that, too. He would just have to think of another way to repay her. Maybe he could buy her something that she was going to buy anyway. "I wasn't going to" he said, feigning his innocence.

Elena shook her head, smiling the whole time she did. "You are too funny, Stefan" she told him.

Stefan smiled as he pushed himself away from the counter. "Do you want to take a quick tour before they get here?" he asked. Elena nodded eagerly as she followed him out of the kitchen. She had seen the large living room, the kitchen, and the dining room. All were on the first level of the house.

Stairs were no issue for Elena yet, but Stefan wondered when they might become more difficult for her, seeing as how there were a lot of them in his house. Elena noticed that he was thinking about this as she held onto the railing. "I will crawl up them if I have to" she told him, rolling her eyes at him as they reached the second level. Stefan looked almost horrified at the thought. "Seriously, Stefan. Stop that" she warned. "You can't hover and be worried all the time" she reminded him.

"Sorry" he told her. "I do worry, but I won't hover. I promise" he told her. "This way" he said, walking with her down the hall. "This is the second largest room and it has a really nice walk-in closet" he said, opening the door for her.

Elena stepped inside and admired the room. He wasn't kidding. It was big. "I like it" Elena said, looking into the connecting bathroom. She liked that, too.

"You could redecorate and do whatever you want with it" he explained. He was not set on it looking like a guest room forever.

They walked down the hall and he stopped again. "I think this room is my favorite. It is smaller, but it has a really great view" he said, opening the door for her. It would be perfect for a nursery. "You could set up a nursery in here, if you wanted to" he said, trying not to sound so excited about the idea. "It gets a lot of sunlight" he added.

Elena walked inside and turned in circles, admiring this room too. Unlike the other room, this one was completely empty. "It would work" she told him. Then she corrected herself. "If it came down to me still being here" she added. She didn't plan to be.

They left that room and walked further down the hall. "And this is my room" he said, though he did not open the door.

Elena laughed softly. "Are you going to show me?" she asked.

He looked hesitant. But he did push open the door for her. It was beautiful inside with all of the furniture being mahogany. But there really was nothing else in the room besides the basics. "I decided to keep it simple" he said, afraid of what she might think.

Elena smiled and turned towards him. "It's beautiful in here" she told him. A picture on his dresser caught her interest though. A picture of them together. Stefan followed her gaze and froze. Was it weird to have a picture of the two of them sitting on his dresser? "I remember this" she said, grabbing the picture. "We were what, seventeen?" she asked. "We went hiking the last day before Senior year started" she said. They had stopped to take a picture together at a spot overlooking a lake.

It was one of Stefan's favorites of them together. "I found it when I moved in here a few years ago" he told her.

Elena ran her finger over their picture and smiled. "I still have that photo album that my mom gave me for my sixteenth birthday" she said, still admiring the picture. "The one with the pictures of us when we were five, all the way up until I turned sixteen" she said.

"You'll have to show it to me again, sometime" he told her, his voice soft and attentive. He knew the death of her parents was still hard for her to talk about.

Elena smiled again and set the picture down. "Sure" she told him. "I think I've seen enough of the house" she said. "Damon and Caroline should be here any minute now" she added, much quieter than she had been.

But nothing was quiet for long when they returned downstairs just as Caroline and Damon arrived. Caroline's face brightened at the sight of Elena. Her arms flew up, she squealed, and took off running for Elena. She hugged her tight. "How have you been?" she asked, pulling away from Elena and looking her over.

"Good" Elena smiled.

"Oh my goodness, and the baby?" she asked, even more excited. Damon had told her all about Elena being pregnant. "Can I?" she asked, her hand hovering over Elena's stomach. Elena nodded and Caroline had her hand on Elena's stomach almost immediately. Her smile got even bigger as she looked at Stefan. "Isn't she just the cutest pregnant person you have ever seen?" she asked.

"You are very sweet" Elena blushed, shooting a small smile at Stefan. He smiled back at her. At least Caroline was a lot more supportive than Damon.

"Is dinner here yet?" Damon asked. Stefan led him into the kitchen, leaving Elena and Caroline alone.

"Are you excited?" Caroline asked, removing her hand.

Elena nodded. "Yeah, I am" Elena smiled. "A little nervous, but definitely excited" she added.

"Do you know what you're having yet?" Caroline asked? Before Elena could even answer, Caroline continued. "Oh I hope you're having a girl!" she said, barely being able to contain her excitement. There were so many cute clothes for girls.

"I don't know yet, but I will let you know when I do" Elena told her. This seemed to satisfy Caroline for now.

"Then we can go shopping for the baby together!" she said excitedly. They heard Damon calling for them, claiming the pizza was getting cold. Caroline held Elena's hand as she led her into the kitchen. "Can I throw you your baby shower?" she asked, excitement still dripping from her voice.

"That is so nice of you, but I don't want anyone to go to the trouble" Elena told her, placing a piece of pizza on a plate and walking with Caroline into the dining room.

"I want to though" Caroline said, attempting to sit next to Stefan. He placed his hand on the seat next to him and gave her a warning glance. Caroline rolled her eyes and went around the table to sit by Damon. Elena sat down next to Stefan, having missed the little interaction between him and Caroline. "I can throw the baby shower here, can't I Stefan?" Caroline asked. There was plenty of space and she planned to invite a lot of people.

"Sure" Stefan said, smiling at Elena who looked just a bit excited about having a shower.

"Gross, you are okay with a male stripper dancing on your furniture?" Damon asked, taking a drink of his beer.

"You don't have male strippers at baby showers" Caroline told him, rolling her eyes. "When is your due date?" she asked Elena.

Elena suddenly felt self-conscious, talking about her pregnancy in front of everyone. "Umm, the end of July" she answered quietly.

"Perfect!" Caroline exclaimed. "I'll throw the shower in June" she announced.

"You really don't have to do that" Elena told her.

"Of course I do" Caroline said, smiling at her from across the table.

"She loves spending my money" Damon said, finishing his pizza and getting up to get more. Elena frowned. She didn't want to cause more trouble between the unhappily married couple.

"You're the one that got me so drunk I married you" Caroline reminded. She didn't seem to be phased by his comment other than that though. She turned her attention back to Stefan and Elena. "Did Stefan invite you to the charity benefit next weekend at the hospital?" she asked.

Elena looked at Stefan who poked his fork at his pizza. "I was going to ask you" Stefan said, somewhat embarrassed that Caroline had to bring it up before him.

"You should come" Caroline told her. "Then I would have someone to hang out with. All Stefan's doctor friends are boring" she explained. "Please say you'll go?" she almost begged.

Elena looked back at Stefan. "I would love to go, if that's okay" she told him.

He looked into her eyes for a few seconds, feeling like it was only him and her in the room at the moment. "I'd love for you to go with me" he said softly.

It was Elena who tore her eyes from his first. "I guess I need to go shopping then" Elena said, smiling at Caroline. She was pretty sure none of her dresses would fit anymore.

"What are we all talking about now?" Damon asked, entering the room again, this time, with four pieces of pizza piled onto his plate.

"Elena will be joining us at the charity benefit next weekend" Caroline informed.

The longest groan escaped from Damon. "Not another charity benefit" he whined. "I just went to one of those. How many of those do they expect me to go to? I have a life you know" Damon continued.

"Stop acting so entitled" Caroline scolded. "You can give up one night to help those who are less fortunate" she added.

Damon scoffed. "Oh please, you're only going so you can buy a new dress and shoes" he told her.

"I am not!" she said, raising her voice. "I happen to like helping people" she said, glaring at him.

"Can you two save this for when you get home?" Stefan asked calmly, not wanting them to make Elena feel uncomfortable.

"No, Stefan, we can't. We are going to have sex when we get home" he informed, causing Caroline to turn red from embarrassment. "Something that you will not be doing tonight, apparently" he added. Awkward silence ensued. Elena looked uncomfortable. Caroline looked angry. But Caroline let it go. But she was still annoyed. "She started it" Damon muttered, earning himself a kick in the shin from Caroline under the table. "Hey!" he cried out.

Stefan placed his face in his hands, clearly frustrated with them. Not long after, he felt a hand on his back. It was Elena, rubbing slow circles. He looked over at her. She was smiling at him. She knew very well how much Damon got on his nerves at times. But she turned back to Caroline and asked about what she had been up to lately, completely changing the subject. Stefan was thankful for that.

**XXXXXXXX**

"I can drive you home" Stefan offered after Caroline and Damon had left. Elena had stuck around to help Stefan put the rest of the pizza away.

Elena shook her head no. "I'll be okay" she told him. "But thank you."

Stefan scratched the back of his head. "I'm sorry about them" he told her. "They kind of ruined the evening, huh?" he asked.

"No" Elena said. "I just wish they could get along better, especially if they are going to stay married" she told him. "Life is too short to be in an unhappy relationship" she added.

Life was too short to not be in a relationship, too. He wanted to tell her this, but held off. "So, I'll pick you up next weekend for the benefit?" he asked her, hoping she still wanted to go.

"Yeah" Elena smiled. Then, she stared into his sleepy eyes for a moment. "You look tired. Get some sleep" she told him.

He smiled at her. "Goodnight" he said, pulling her into a hug.

Elena embraced him as well. "Goodnight. And thank you for going with me today to look at houses" she said, closing her eyes and letting herself just relax for a moment before she was going to have to drive home.

"Anytime" he said, kissing the top of her head before letting her go. It was something he always did. Kissing her head. He couldn't remember when he had started to do that. Maybe when he had finally grown tall enough to be able to stand over her.

She waved to him from her car before leaving. And Stefan couldn't help but smile at the fact that she would be his date for the benefit. Now, he just had to hope that she would agree to move in with him.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: So, how about that episode last night? Epic.**

**Do let me know what you think about this update. I changed it up a few times before settling on this. Thanks everyone!**

Stefan opted out of buying flowers for Elena. The charity benefit was not a date, so he thought it would be awkward to bring her some. He was also twenty minutes early to pick her up. He knocked on her door and waited patiently. The building seemed nice. The area did too. Not that he had come early to scope the place out or anything.

Elena opened the door moments later with a huge smile on her face. "Stefan" she said, moving aside and inviting him in. "I'm almost ready. I just need to grab my jacket" she told him.

Stefan stepped inside, letting his eyes wander around her apartment. It was nice. Comfortable and cozy. It fit her perfectly. Elena had disappeared for a few minutes, but she returned shortly after with her jacket on. "You look nice" he told her, smiling softly.

Elena returned his smile. "So do you" she told him, taking in the tux he was wearing for the night. He always looked so handsome when he got dressed up. "Ready?" she asked. He nodded.

Stefan opened the door for her and then waited outside for her to lock up. "So, I'm only required to make an appearance. Anytime you are ready to leave, we can go" he explained to her as they walked to his car.

"It is a Saturday, Stefan. I'm allowed to stay up a little later than normal" she joked, climbing into the passenger seat of his car.

Stefan smirked. At least her sense of humor was still alive and ever present. "You know that's not what I meant" he said, shutting the door. He was still smirking though as he walked around to his side of the car.

"So are you my date tonight or my babysitter?" she asked as soon as he got in the car. She was sarcastic tonight too.

He looked over and smiled at her, a little excited that she could possibly think of him as her date. "Did I tell you that you look beautiful tonight?" he asked with a huge smile on his face.

Elena rolled her eyes. Of course he wouldn't answer that question. "Well played, Salvatore. Well played" she said, leaning back in her seat and looking ahead. The sun was just beginning to set. The city looked beautiful in the dimming glow.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

When they arrived, the lobby of the hotel was bustling with well-dressed individuals making chitchat. They checked their coats and Elena suddenly became self-conscious. She was here, with Stefan. All of the people he worked with would be here tonight. They would see them together. That made her nervous.

But Stefan didn't seemed bothered one bit. He actually seemed happy to be there. "Come on. Let's go and get something to drink" he said, placing his hand at the base of her back and leading her forward.

But Elena stopped her feet from moving. "Stefan, are you sure this is okay?" she asked. "You being here, with me?"

Stefan looked at her sort of funny which made her look down at her feet. "What, because you're pregnant?" he asked. She nodded slightly. Stefan chuckled. "Believe me, they all have much better things to do besides talk about who I bring with me to these functions" he said, putting his arm around her again and walking with her into the convention room. "The only person who cares is Caroline and she already knows I'm bringing you" he said, leaning closer to her so she could hear him above all of the noise.

Elena let herself sigh with a little relief. She just didn't want him to be uncomfortable or get embarrassed with all of his friends here. Then she remembered that Damon was coming as well and maybe she was the least of Stefan's worries.

He introduced her to a few of his friends from the hospital, all of whom seemed perfectly nice. The women of course inquired about her pregnancy, asking questions and wishing her well. No one seemed to be curious as to why she was there with Stefan. She hoped the rest of the night would go this way too.

But it didn't. Stefan had left their table for a little bit to talk with more of the people he worked with, leaving her alone. She really didn't mind, except that she was getting a tad bit bored. Caroline had stopped by to talk with her periodically, but she was spending most of her time being the social little butterfly she was. Just like Elena remembered her to be.

So Elena had gotten up from the table to wander around, looking at paintings and refilling her water glass. That is when the judgmental looks and the pitiful stares had begun. Some of the women would come up to her, notice that she had no ring, and ask her what her plans were. Others just shook their heads and went back to the cocktail they were drinking.

Elena was used to this, but for some reason tonight, it got to her. A lot more than she cared to admit to herself. So she went outside and sat on a bench for a little bit, getting some fresh air and a break from feeling like a poor, abandoned mother who was going to struggle to raise her child.

"Hey!" Caroline said, sitting down beside her. "I saw you wander out here. What's wrong?" she asked, a frown on her face.

Elena shrugged. "Nothing. Just needed some air" she lied, looking up at the stars to keep herself from crying. Those damn hormones.

"The looks and the comments getting to you?" Caroline asked, still frowning. "These people, you know. They think they have everyone figured out. And they try so hard to show people that they live the perfect life. When really, their lives are just as screwed up as ours" she said, being blatantly honest.

Elena thought Caroline made perfect sense. "I just hate being pitied" she sighed. "I know I'm not doing this the way everyone thinks I should. I just wish they would have a little more faith in me is all" she said sadly.

Caroline grabbed her hand and smiled. "Do you want me to take you home? We can watch sappy movies and eat brownies" she suggested.

Elena smiled, even though she was pretty sure she was about to cry. "That sounds really good right about now, but I think I should stay. I don't want them to run me off" she said. Most of all, she didn't want to disappoint Stefan.

Caroline shrugged. "Okay" she said. Then she looked down at her ring for a moment.

Elena noticed when she began to take the ring off. "What are you doing?" Elena asked when Caroline held the ring out to her.

"You wear this" Caroline told her. "So these rich nosey fake women will leave you alone" she explained. "You don't deserve the way they treat you" she said, a knowing smile appearing.

Elena looked at her in shock. But she shook her head no. "I can't wear your ring" she told her. It was very nice for Caroline to offer, but it was not Elena's ring to wear.

"Of course you can" Caroline told her, grabbing Elena's hand and sticking the ring on her finger. "Fits perfectly" she smiled. Elena stared at the ring and then back at Caroline, not sure what to say. "Let's just go back inside" Caroline told her, standing up and waiting for Elena.

Caroline did not leave Elena's side the rest of the night. And no one pitied Elena or gave her judgmental looks either. It had worked. Sadly, Elena was the perfect wife expecting her perfect child. While she was grateful to Caroline, it also made Elena want to cry. Because as the night wore on, she could actually see herself being married and starting a family. All because of a ring that wasn't hers.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

Stefan had caught up with her not long after she came back in. Caroline was the one who noticed Stefan staring at the ring now on Elena's hand. She quickly grabbed his arm and told him to come and get a drink for Elena. Elena was glad to be able to sit down once again. Her heels were killing her feet and her back.

"That's my ring" Caroline said as Stefan filled up a glass of water for Elena. "Some of the women around here tonight were making her feel pretty bad about herself for being pregnant and having no husband" she said, making a disgusted face. "I think Elena's okay now though" Caroline said, seeing how concerned Stefan looked.

"Why didn't she come and tell me?" he asked. Stefan would have made sure that it had stopped, right before he took her home.

Caroline smiled gently, looking over at Elena. "Because. She didn't want to ruin your night" she said. Stefan looked across the room at Elena as well. "She adores you, you know" she added, rubbing his shoulder.

Stefan sighed. If only she adored him the way he wished she would. "I should probably get her home. It's getting late."

Caroline agreed. "I think I want to head out too. I just have to find Damon. Meet you out front?" she asked before walking away.

Stefan was about to pick up their glasses when he saw someone walk up to Elena.

"Hello" the man said, extending his hand out to Elena. "I saw that you came here tonight with Stefan Salvatore" he mentioned. He had the perfect to die for accent and Elena felt herself blush. "My name is Elijah" he introduced.

Elena reached for his hand and smiled. "I'm Elena" she told him, noticing the way he held on to her hand. "How do you know Stefan?" she asked.

Elijah let go of her hand gently and smiled once again. "I work with Stefan at the hospital" he answered. "Are you two …?" he asked, debating on whether or not to fully ask the question.

Elena felt her cheeks flush slightly. "Oh, no" she told him quickly. "Stefan is my friend. I've known him since we were little."

Elijah nodded. "I see" he told her.

Elena looked up to see Stefan approaching them. She smiled. "Hey" he said, holding her jacket. "I think we should get going" he told her, putting her jacket on for her. "Caroline is waiting for you out front."

"Oh, okay" she said. She could have easily stayed another hour, but she was glad to be leaving. She was tired. "It was nice meeting you, Elijah" she said politely before walking towards the front of the room.

Stefan smiled as he watched her, but it soon faded as he leaned towards Elijah. "If I catch you near her again, there will be a problem" he said, his voice low and full of promise.

Elijah smiled. "I was simply being friendly" he told Stefan.

Stefan gave him a deadly glare as he backed away from him. He turned and began to walk in the same direction that Elena had. Elijah finished his glass of chardonnay as he watched Stefan leave.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Damon and Stefan chatted while Elena was a few yards away, giving Caroline back her ring and thanking her. "Thank you, for what you did" Elena told her.

Caroline smiled. "Anytime" she said, slipping her ring back on.

"I hope one day I can have a ring of my own" she let herself admit. She hadn't really done that since finding out she was pregnant. She didn't want to get her hopes up.

Caroline stared past Elena and watched Stefan for a moment. Oh, the things that were going on in her head right now. "I'm willing to bet that is a definite possibility" she replied, smiling as she looked away from Stefan. "You have a good night" Caroline said, hugging Elena. "And you, baby, keep growing so we can find out what you are" she said in perfect baby talk as she leaned down to Elena's baby bump.

She kissed her stomach quickly and Elena laughed. "Goodnight, Caroline" Elena said, walking back towards Stefan. "Ready?" she asked.

Stefan nodded, taking her hand and walking with her down the sidewalk. They were silent for a few minutes, looking up at the stars and thinking quietly to themselves. "Why didn't you tell me you were having a hard time with those women in there?" Stefan asked, peeking over at her as they walked.

Elena should have known that Caroline would tell him. "I didn't want to ruin your night" she told him. "Besides, it was no big deal. Sometimes things upset me pretty easily these days, but I get over it pretty quickly" she said, looking over at him and smiling when she caught him staring.

"I would have set them straight, you know" he told her, looking away again.

She smiled again. "I know" she told him. "You don't always have to jump in and save me though" she reminded him.

Stefan disagreed, but he wasn't going to tell her. "Thank you for coming with me tonight" he said, opening the car door for her.

"Thank you for inviting me" she told him, moving past him to get in. He shut the door for her and got in as well.

It was a quiet drive back to her apartment for the most part. He had turned the radio on low, just in case she wanted to talk or fall asleep. Neither of which she did. But he was okay with that. Just sitting in silence with her.

Elena was leaning against her arm along the window when they stopped at a stop light. There was a vendor sitting on the sidewalk with buckets full of fresh cut flowers. She wondered why he was out so late, but there were people still passing by and she supposed guys might stop to get their girlfriends or wives flowers. The thought made her smile. But what made her smile more was the bucket of fresh cut lilies right up front. Lilies were her favorite.

**XXXXXXXXX**

_October 15__th__, 2005_

_Elena placed the last bobby pin in her hair as she looked at herself in the mirror. Her hair was perfect. Her makeup was flawless. Her dark green dress was beautiful. But all she wanted to do was crawl back into bed and cry like she had been doing since the previous May when her parents died. A tragic accident, everyone had called it. _

_But Stefan had convinced her to go to the Homecoming dance with him. She hadn't wanted to go and no one else had asked her. She didn't blame them. She was sad and depressed and she wasn't even sure what fun was anymore._

_But Stefan wouldn't let up, telling her she needed to get out and enjoy herself. Elena just didn't think she could. Not even with Stefan. But she couldn't very well tell him no now when he was on his way to get her. She really didn't want to ruin his night. But, makeup and a pretty dress could only cover her up on the outside. They couldn't hide how ugly she felt on the inside._

_Elena left her mirror and went in search of Jeremy. He was holed up in his room as usual with his videogames. "Stefan will be here shortly" she told him. He didn't even look at her. He was as miserable as her too. "Aunt Jenna left pizza money if you get hungry" she finished, shutting the door on her way out. _

_It broke her heart, seeing her little brother that way. And she knew it broke Stefan's to see her like that too._

_Stefan was ten minutes early, but she knew he would be. When she opened the door, he was holding a bouquet of lilies in gold wrapping with a cream colored bow. She looked at the flowers for a moment. "These are for you" he told her, handing them to her._

"_Thank you" Elena said, forcing a smile. She took them and went to place them in water in the kitchen. She loved the flowers, but loving them meant that she would have to feel happy. She felt sad._

_Stefan followed. "You look beautiful" he said, placing his hand on her back when she stilled in the kitchen, staring at the flowers he had given her. They really were so pretty. _

"_I don't feel beautiful" she let slip out before she could stop herself. He looked hurt, but more concerned that he had said the wrong thing to make her upset. "Let's just go, please" she said, moving away from his touch and going back out of the kitchen._

_The truth was, Stefan was the only one still talking to her, besides Bonnie and Caroline. And the girls always wanted to talk about feelings and eat chocolate ice cream all night long. But sometimes Elena just wanted to cry or be angry and not eat anything at all. And Stefan was the one who would let her do that. Because he knew her better than anyone. So maybe, he knew that she needed to get out of the house tonight._

_Elena didn't say anything about the limo that sat parked outside of her house. It was too much though. She sat silently at the far end, looking out the window. Stefan hadn't bothered to try and make conversation with her. He sat there silently too. It was only when Elena realized that they were not heading towards the high school that she spoke up. "Where are we going?" she asked._

"_You'll see" was all he said, grabbing her attention for the time being. She was no longer thinking about being sad. She wanted to know where he was taking her._

_The limo drove up the road a little ways before turning off and heading towards the park. It parked behind the bathroom building and Elena couldn't see anything. "I'll call you" Stefan said to the driver as he helped Elena out of the limo. With that, he took her hand and walked with her._

_It didn't take Elena long to see where they were going. The lights up ahead twinkled and when they got closer, she saw a single, small round table covered in a gold tablecloth and two white chairs sitting in the middle of the grassy area. Twinkling white lights were hung around the nearby trees and a path leading to the table was lit up with small white lights as well._

_Elena stopped and looked at the arrangement. Two covered plates sat on the table opposite one another, along with two glasses, two sets of silverware, and a bottle of wine. Scratch that, it was sparkling cider. They weren't old enough to drink, though, they both could admit to drinking once in a while._

_There was also two lit candles on the table and rose petals scattered along the table surface and down on the ground. It was simply beautiful and she was in awe at the sight before her. "Do you like it?" he asked from behind her._

_Elena turned around slowly, still amazed that he would do this for her. Go to all this trouble. "You did all of this, for me?" she asked, her voice quiet and shaky._

_Stefan nodded, inwardly feeling proud of himself that she was feeling something other than sadness right now. He had completely thrown her off tonight and that is exactly what he had wanted to do. "I wanted tonight to be special. I wanted you to feel special" he told her, a nervous smile appearing. He had spent months planning this all out. Not to score brownie points from her, but to make her, and only her, happy._

_Elena stared into his eyes from a few feet away, processing what he was saying. He always made her feel special, no matter what. Just being around him made her feel special. "I love it" she told him. "Thank you." _

_She turned back around and stared at the table once more. Stefan walked up behind her and placed his arm around her. "Hungry?" he asked. Elena nodded. She actually was. For the first time in a really long time, she wasn't going to force herself to eat. "Come on" he said, leading her to the table. He pulled her chair out for her and removed the cover on her food. It was grilled chicken and an assortment of cooked vegetables. He poured her a glass of the sparkling cider before getting his food ready. He smiled at her when he saw her eating. _

_They never made it to the dance that night, opting to stay where they were. He did stand up though, eventually, and held out his hand. He wanted to dance. She couldn't help but give him a confused look, telling him that they had no music. But he pulled her into his arms, held her hand, and began swaying with her. _

_He didn't need music as long as he had her._

_They danced for what seemed like hours. Her head was resting against his shoulder and he could hear her sighing every now and then. He knew she was thinking about her parents again. He could just tell. "I'm sorry I can't take your pain away" he whispered softly to her. "I just wanted to make you smile tonight" he told her, kissing her temple. "I miss your smile."_

_Elena lifted her head and he could tell that she had been trying not to cry. She wiped at her tears with the back of her hand and ever so slowly, let a smile form. "Better?" she asked, her soft smile turning into a small laugh. _

_Stefan smiled. "Much better" he told her, pulling her even closer and beginning to move with her again. She rested her head against his chest and let him hold her. Move her. Take care of her._

_At midnight, they were lying on a blanket and looking up at the stars. Stefan didn't mind. Because Elena was beside him, holding his hand, and naming all the constellations she could see. Most of which, were wrong. But he let her continue because she sounded happy. And sometimes, she would turn on her side and look at him for a moment before looking back up at the sky. _

_When she would see a shooting star, she would close her eyes, making a wish. He had no idea what she was wishing for. _

_He wished for the same thing every time. That one day, Elena would love him as much as he loved her._

**XXXXXXXXXX**

Stefan parked outside her apartment and turned the car off. He sat there for a moment before turning to look at her. She turned and looked at him as well. "Yes" she said, quietly yet confidently.

"Yes what?" he asked, searching her eyes for the answer.

"Yes, I will move in with you."

**A/N: Umm, what was that all about with Elijah? Anyone think moving in with Stefan is not such a great idea? **


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: I am sooooo sorry about taking so long to post. I hit major writer's block on top of being really busy. I know where I want to go with this story. I am just having a hard time getting there.**

**Thank you for the reviews and the tweets! You all make me smile :D **

It had been a month since Elena told Stefan she would move in with him. He had barely been able to contain his excitement. He had spent every day after work and on the weekends prepping the house. Cleaning and moving things around. He was also spending a lot of time helping Elena pack. The past week, almost every day after work was spent at her apartment, disassembling items and preparing for the move.

Elena would always cook him dinner, even though he told her it wasn't necessary. He wondered when she had learned to cook, because anything she had tried to make when they were younger wasn't edible. He smiled at the thought.

Finally, though, she was all moved in to his house. Stefan hadn't told Damon or Caroline yet. He just didn't want to deal with the both of them so soon. He knew they would both question why he had decided to let Elena stay with him. Frankly, it was none of their business. Sadly, they would make it their business.

Stefan had taken the day off from work and decided to make dinner while he waited for Elena to get home from work. He had seen her briefly that morning when she had stopped by with the last of her things. Other than that, he had been home alone, unpacking what he could for her.

At around five, Elena came walking in, her shoulder bag slung over her shoulder and a smile present. "Hey" she greeted, setting her bag down and sighing. "How was your day?" she asked.

"Good" he said, looking up and smiling at her as he added a few tomato slices to the salad he was fixing. That was one thing he was going to have to work on. Eating healthier now that Elena was around. "How was your day?" he asked.

Elena smiled, taking a seat at the counter. "Really good. The kids are learning about the solar system, so we decorated planets and hung them up" she explained enthusiastically.

Stefan continued to smile as he listened to her. She was so enthusiastic when it came to what she loved. "That sounds like a lot of fun" he told her.

"It was. But tiring. I had to be on my feet a lot today" she said, kicking her heels off and letting her feet breathe. "Are you making dinner?" she asked.

"Yep" he told her. "It's almost done if you want to go and wash up" he told her, tossing more tomatoes into the bowl.

"You didn't have to do that" Elena told him. Though, she did appreciate the gesture. She was exhausted and the last thing she wanted to think about was having to make dinner.

Stefan looked up and smiled at her again. "I wanted to" he told her before looking back down and chopping a cucumber.

Elena got off of her stool and walked around the counter to him. "Thank you" she said, leaning up and kissing his cheek. "I'll be right down" she told him before walking away.

Stefan watched her until she disappeared around the corner. Then a huge smile appeared. He loved it when she kissed him.

When Elena finally did return in a pair of yoga pants and a t-shirt, Stefan had the table set for them both. "So, I wanted to talk to you about something" Elena said, getting comfortable in her chair.

Stefan passed her the bowl of salad. "What's up?" he asked.

Elena took a scoop of salad and handed the bowl back. "Well, since I am living here, I want to help out" she explained. Stefan did not like where this was going at all. "You know, pay rent. Buy groceries. Cook and clean sometimes" she explained.

"That's not necessary" he told her. "The house is paid for. The grocery store is on my way home. And I like to cook and clean" he told her, handing her the small dish that held the pasta dish he had made.

"That basically means that I am living here for free" she stated. "Which makes me feel like I'm using you which really doesn't make me feel too great" she told him, frowning.

Stefan hated when she frowned. She had the most beautiful smile. There was no room for frowning. "Okay" he nodded. "No to paying me rent" he stated. "But this is your house too while you're living here, so you can do whatever you would like in it. Cooking, cleaning, and buying groceries too" he added.

Elena smiled triumphantly. "Okay. I can live with that" she said, starting in on her salad. She knew she would never win with convincing him to let her pay rent. They were quiet for a few minutes while they ate. "Jeremy called me today" she said, breaking the silence.

Stefan noted how happy she sounded. "Yeah? What's he up to right now?" Stefan asked, giving her his full attention.

Elena's eyes lit up as she began to talk about her brother. "He's in Ireland right now, visiting the countryside" she explained. "He's always wanted to see it" she added.

"Sounds like he's having a good time" Stefan said, smiling with her.

"I think he is too" Elena agreed. "I just can't wait to see him." She missed him like crazy. But he promised to be back by the time the baby was born. "And this is really good, by the way" she said, pointing her fork down at her plate.

"Something new" he said, clearly happy that she liked it. He rarely cooked for himself. "It's nice to have someone to cook for" he added, looking down at his plate as he said it, too embarrassed to see her reaction.

"You should invite your brother over more often" Elena said, not picking up on his subtle hint that he was trying to tell her how he felt. "I think it would be good for him. So some of your gentleman charm can rub off on him" she added with a small smirk.

This made Stefan laugh. "Caroline keeps him in line pretty well, though he'd never admit that" he told her.

"That's Caroline" Elena said, finishing the last of her pasta. "I hate to do this to you, Stefan. But I'm really tired, so I think I'm going to head to bed" she told him.

He may have wanted to stay up a little later and spend time with her, but he also knew that she needed her rest. It had been a busy few weeks for her with the move. "Yeah, I should probably get some sleep too" he mentioned. He was going to put a few hours in on the next day, a Saturday, since he took the day off. "I have to go in tomorrow for a few hours in the morning, but I should be home by noon" he mentioned.

Elena nodded. "Okay" she told him. She picked up her dishes and made her way into the kitchen. He followed her. "Thank you for dinner. And for everything" she said. "I really don't know what I would do without you" she added, slipping her arms around him and hugging him. "Night" she said.

"Night" he added, reluctantly letting her go. Elena walked slowly out of the room, reinforcing the fact that she was tired. He leaned against the counter for a minute and ran his hands over his face. He really was tired too. Tired of not being able to tell her how he felt.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

"Were you ever going to tell me?" Caroline asked, taking another bite of her frozen yogurt.

Stefan shrugged, doing the same. "It's not a big deal" he told her.

Caroline rolled her eyes. "Stefan, you invited Elena to live with you. And you're madly in love with her and she has no idea. I'd say that is a big deal" she explained. A much needed silence passed before Caroline began speaking again. "I just don't want you to get hurt" she sighed, setting her spoon down.

"And why would I get hurt?" Stefan asked.

Caroline looked at him sadly. "Because she's having another man's baby, for starters" she told him.

Stefan shook his head. "That bastard left her. He's out of the picture" he told her.

"Okay" Caroline said, ready to try again. "How about the fact that she doesn't appear to feel the same way about you?" she asked. She watched Stefan closely. "She has no idea that you want to be with her and raise her baby" she added. "Wait, do you even want to be a part of this baby's life?" she asked.

"Of course I do" Stefan told her. "The baby is Elena's. That's all that matters to me" he confirmed. "And all she needs is time to realize that she wants to be with me too" he said.

"Maybe you should just tell her you love her and that you want the three of you to be a family" Caroline said.

"I can't do that, not yet" he reminded. He didn't want to scare Elena off. "For right now, at least I know that she is taken care of."

Caroline sighed. "I think Elena can take care of herself" she told him. More silence. "I seriously can't believe that you two never hooked up" she said, rolling her eyes again.

Well, that wasn't exactly true. There had been one time. One time that had been the worst and best day of his life. But Caroline didn't need to know that. No one did. "Let's talk about you now" Stefan said, resting his hands on the table. He smiled, hoping she would go with the subject change.

"This isn't over" Caroline said, pointing her finger at him. "But I would like to tell you that I am fostering a litter of kittens for a few weeks" she said proudly.

Stefan grinned. "Damon hates cats" he said.

Caroline's eyes beamed with excitement. "I know" she said knowingly. "But these little guys and gals need some love and I can offer it" she smiled. "You can come over and help me take care of them. It will be good practice for the baby" she teased.

Stefan glared at her. "I think I'll pass" he said. "And I think I should get back. Elena should be home by now" he added.

She grinned. "Tell her I say hello" Caroline said. She stood and gathered her purse. "Thanks for the frozen yogurt" she told him.

"Anytime" Stefan said, waving goodbye to her. He watched until she was in her car before he went in search for his.

While Stefan enjoyed spending time with Caroline, sometimes she made him think about things he didn't want to think about.

When he finally walked into his house, Elena came to greet him. "How was your date with Caroline?" she asked cheerfully.

Stefan laughed. "Date?" he asked. "Dates are supposed to be fun. Caroline makes you think too much" he said, hanging his jacket up. "She says hi" he added.

"She called me about ten minutes ago" Elena told him. She walked with Stefan back to the living room and sat down on the couch with him.

"How was your day?" he asked, placing his hand on her knee.

"I went shopping" Elena said. She reached over the side of the couch and grabbed two bags sitting on the floor. "They say not to buy too many things for the baby right away. And I don't know what I'm having yet, but I couldn't resist" she said.

Stefan smiled. "Show me what you bought" he told her, scooting closer to her.

"Really?" she asked. She figured it would be Caroline who she would be sharing all of this with. Stefan nodded encouragingly. "Okay" she said, grabbing things out of the bags. "First, just some neutral colored onesies" she said, handing him green, yellow, and white ones. "And booties" she added, handing him a pair of green ones. Hats, bibs, and binkies followed. "I still have a million things to get, but having just these few things makes it more real" she said, leaning back into the couch.

"This is all great" Stefan told her. "Do you want a boy or a girl?" he asked, examining the green booties. Elena shrugged shyly. "Come on, you can tell me" he said, bumping in to her shoulder.

Elena smiled. "A girl" she said. "This time. But I would like a boy too" she added.

"A girl" he said, thinking about it. "Well, either way, he or she is going to be the luckiest kid around" he said, turning to smile at her. "You're going to be one of those really amazing mothers that all kids should have."

Elena looked up at him. "Thank you" she said, almost as a whisper. "I needed to hear that."

She looked sad, almost. "Hey" he said, cupping her face gently. "What's wrong?" he asked her.

"Nothing" she said, shaking her head. "I should go and lay down for a bit" she added in an attempt to get out of this conversation.

Stefan sighed. "Something's wrong" he said, letting go of her face. He could tell. He always could.

"You're not going to let this go until I tell you, are you" she said. He shook his head no. "You're a real pain sometimes, you know that?" she asked, a hint of sarcasm in her voice. But then she got serious again. "I worry about not having a family for this little one" she said, resting her hands on her stomach. "I mean, I know we'll have Jeremy. But I think every kid should have a dad. It makes me sad that my baby won't."

Stefan perked up instantly. This was his chance. To tell her how he felt. To tell her he loved her, and he would love this baby. To tell her they could be a family.

She wanted a family for her child. He could give her that. And so much more. Nervously, he grabbed her hand and held onto it. "Elena" he said, taking a small breath. He just needed to spit it out.

And he was going to, until her phone began to ring. "Oh, I'm sorry" she said, grabbing for it. She checked the screen. "It's a coworker. I have to take this" she said, letting go of his hand and standing.

Stefan sat there in disbelief that the phone would really ring right as he was about to pour his heart out to her. It wasn't fair.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: So, I have been having a lot of trouble writing this story. I think I am still stuck with Until This Lie Do Us Part :D But, I will keep going with this one. I just think I need to throw a little heartache into it as that is what I like to write best. So, the next update will have a little of that for someone. Not too much, but just enough I think!**

**One more episode until the Season finale! And Season 4 is a go. What a good thing to hear.**

**Thank you all for the reviews. I really appreciate it!**

It took all night for Stefan to realize that the phone call had been the best thing at that moment. Telling Elena that he was in love with her and wanted to be a family with her was relationship suicide. He needed to wait for the right moment, which was going to be a little while down the road.

Caroline's comment about not believing that he and Elena had never hooked up was still with him though, running around in his mind and refusing to let up. As Elena's friend, he wasn't supposed to think about Elena in that way. But as a guy who was madly in love, sometimes he did. And the only thing he had to hold on to was that one night – the best and worst night of his life.

**XXXXXXXXX**

_September 15__th__, 2006_

_Stefan looked forward to Elena's birthday every year. He had her birthday gift picked out months ahead of time and no matter what he bought her, she loved it more than all of her other presents. Everyone was envious of him for it._

_As much as he loved giving her a present, it was the time he got to spend with her after her party that he looked forward to the most. Every year since they were ten, they went off on their own after her party to spend time together. An "after party bash" is what Elena had begun to refer to it as._

_On her 18__th__ birthday, they went to her parent's lake house after her party. They weren't going to spend the night – Elena's aunt had forbid it. But they basically had all evening to spend together. He was excited. He brought a couple of her favorite DVDs, figuring they could watch a movie. He also brought a deck of cards because they were known for staying up late playing anything and everything. She was a real card shark._

_But when they were settled in the house and Stefan offered up the suggestions to spend their time together, Elena shook her head no. "What do you want to do then?" he asked. There wasn't much else to do but swim and neither of them had brought swimsuits. _

_Elena walked over and sat down next to him on the couch. She faced him, her eyes filled with curiosity. "I want you to make love to me" she said, not a hint of hesitation or nervousness in her voice. It just came out like it was something she would naturally say._

_Stefan's eyes grew slightly wider. "What?" he asked. Surely he had heard her wrong._

_Elena shrugged. "I'm going off to college next week. I just think I should do it and get it over with. And my first time should be with someone that I trust" she said as if she had put a lot of thought into this and it was no big deal._

_But it was a big deal. He had never seen her naked before. Half naked in her bikini, yes. Fully naked with nothing between them, no. Stefan scooted away from her slightly, his brain trying to comprehend what she was saying while also trying to rationalize why it was a bad idea. "We can't" was all he could think to say._

_Elena's eyebrows furrowed. "Why not? We're both adults now. And I know you've done it before" she said, eying him closely._

_Stefan swallowed. Hard. How did she know about that? He hadn't told her or discussed it with her. What would she think of him now that he had had sex with some other girl? Apparently it didn't concern her since she was using that as a reason for him to sleep with her. "Your first time shouldn't be this way, like this" he told her uncomfortably, looking away from her at the old grandfather clock._

_Elena scooted closer to him again and grabbed his hand. "And why shouldn't my first time be with someone I love and trust?" she asked, searching his eyes as soon as he let her._

_Stefan sighed. One long hard look into her wanting eyes and he knew it was over. He was going to sleep with her. It would be amazing – he'd make sure of it. But at the end of it, he knew very well that it would change nothing for Elena. While it would change everything for him. _

_The thought of her being with someone else made him sick. He had this idea that the guy would only use her. He wouldn't treat her how she deserved to be treated. He wouldn't know her like he was supposed to know her. Not like Stefan knew her. "Please?" she asked, continuing to search his eyes. She wasn't begging. She never would. But she really wanted this._

_It was clear that she did. "Okay" he said quietly. Her hand tightened around his and her eyes brightened. She stood up, still holding his hand as she grabbed a bag from her purse and led them quietly upstairs. Eager. Stefan wondered how long she had been planning this._

_Elena was already taking her shoes off when they got to the room she used to sleep in as a child. Stefan just stood there awkwardly while all of her childhood teddy bears stared disapprovingly back at him. The whole house brought back memories of her parents and Stefan knew they would hate him for this. "Are you going to stand there the whole time?" Elena asked, a teasing presence in her voice._

_His attention quickly snapped back to her as he shook his head slowly. "Sorry" he mumbled, walking towards her bed. _

_Elena sat down next to him and turned to place her hand on the side of his face before kissing him softly. Then, she rested her forehead against his as they both closed their eyes. "I'm not a child anymore" she whispered, knowing all of the thoughts of doubt that were running through his mind at that moment. _

_Stefan sighed, wanting to kiss her again. "I know" he said. With that, he slowly reached for the hem of her shirt, playing with it for a moment before finally pulling it over her head. _

_Elena smiled as she reached for his shirt and did the same, tossing it in the same pile where her shirt lay. "No regrets" she said, tracing her fingers lightly over his chest. She had seen him shirtless countless times, but being that close and touching him like that was an experience she probably wasn't going to forget. _

"_No regrets" Stefan breathed, dipping his head slightly, capturing her lips this time. She reacted instantly, wrapping her arms around his neck as he pushed her back on the bed. It creaked, as an old wood-framed bed wood, but it didn't seem to bother either one of them. _

_She was panting lightly as he trailed kisses down her stomach. She was already so sensitive that it wouldn't take long to get it all over with. But right in that moment, it was about her. He could take hours with her, letting her experience everything she deserved to experience. And he did._

_As the afternoon turned into evening, he found it so much easier to just let go and be in the moment with her. That night, Elena wasn't just his childhood friend. She was the existence of his being. Mind, body, and soul. She owned all three parts of him._

_When they were both coated with sweat and her hair was sticking to her shoulders and her back, he collapsed with her on the bed and just lay there, staring up at the ceiling. She was still breathing moderately, but as the minutes passed, she calmed down. He wondered what she was thinking. _

_After a few more minutes, she rolled over towards him and placed her hands on his chest one last time. "That was amazing. Thank you" she whispered. She had heard how awkward and uncomfortable the first time was supposed to be. But with Stefan it was, almost perfect. He was so gentle and so patient, always attending to her before himself. She kissed his lips quickly before she rolled away from him. She picked up her clothes and quickly went into the bathroom. _

_He continued to lay there as he heard the shower turn on. Amazing. She had thought it was amazing. So he had done his job then. _

_It had been a night to remember. One he would never forget. Because he had finally been able to be with Elena in the one way he had never been. But it was also the worst night too, because he knew that it was a one-time thing and that her second time would be with someone else._

**XXXXXXXXXXXX**

Stefan hurried through the hallway, sporting his Visitor badge and carrying a greasy meatball sandwich that he she had been craving. He rounded another corner and checked his watch. The classroom was empty and Elena was sitting at her desk.

When the door opened, she looked up with surprise that he was there. But she quickly smiled. "What are you doing here?" she asked, standing to greet him.

"I thought I would bring you lunch" he said, holding up the bag for her to see. "Meatball" he added, placing it on her desk.

Her eyes lit up. She had wanted a meatball sandwich for breakfast, but opted for fruit and oatmeal instead which had been a big disappointment. "You're the best" she said, pulling him into a hug. It was the first time that her pregnant stomach was noticeable in their hug as it rested against his own stomach. "The kids will be back in a minute. I just have to get them off to recess" she explained.

Sure enough, 20 little kids came running into her room and straight to their desks, ready to be dismissed. "Alright boys and girls, you may all go out to recess" she said after doing a quick headcount to make sure they were all there.

But not one of them moved. Their eyes were intently fixed on Stefan. He shifted his weight uncomfortably. "Who's he?" one of the boys asked.

Elena smiled. "Class, this is Stefan" she introduced. Stefan waved awkwardly at them. He didn't know what was wrong with him. He was great with kids. At the hospital anyway.

"Are you gonna marry Miss Gilbert?" one of the little girls asked.

Before Stefan could answer, Elena laughed. "No, he's my friend" she explained to them.

"Are you married?" another boy asked, staring at Stefan closely.

Stefan shook his head no. "No, I'm not married yet" he answered.

"Then you could marry Miss Gilbert cause she needs a husband" another little girl informed him. Elena shook her head and smiled. It was cute when they did it. Not so much when her coworkers pressured her to.

Stefan decided to play it cool. He sat on Elena's desk and smiled. "She does, does she?" he asked. Every single child nodded his and her head yes.

"Yeah!" a little girl yelled. "Cause look how big she's getting. She's not gonna be able to tie her shoes pretty soon!" she said and they all began to giggle.

Even Elena. "That's what I have you guys for" she reminded them. "Now you all better run along. You're wasting your recess time" she reminded them again. They all got out of their desks and ran out the door to the playground. "Sorry about them" she said, giving Stefan an apologetic look.

"They're cute at that age" Stefan reassured her.

"Yeah, they are" she agreed, sitting against her desk next to him.

"How are you doing?" he asked. She looked more tired than usual.

Elena stifled a yawn. "I'm tired. The baby was moving around a lot last night and kept me up" she told him. "I have my appointment tomorrow though, so maybe the doctor has some ideas on what I can do" she added.

Stefan nodded. "Yeah, I hope so too" he said, giving her a small smile. "I actually have to get going. I just wanted to drop that by and say hello" he said regretfully.

"Well thank you" Elena said, nodding towards the bag with her sandwich. "I'll see you when I get home?" she asked.

Stefan nodded. "See you" he said, leaning over and kissing her forehead quickly before standing up and leaving.

Elena smiled as she watched him leave. But if she thought she was going to get any peace and quiet for lunch, she was dead wrong. Not two minutes later, two co-workers and the principle of the school filed into her room. "Ladies" Elena greeted.

They looked like they had something to say. "That young man who came to visit" one of the teachers said. "Are you seeing him?" she asked.

Not that it was any of their business. "He's my friend. I've known him forever" Elena answered, picking up her planning book and adding notes to it.

"Oh" the principle piped in. "We just thought you had found someone to take care of you and the baby is all. We noticed that your mail is going to a different address now. His?" she asked.

Elena sighed, trying to keep her frustration in check. "He's letting me stay with him until I find a house" she answered. "But that's it. We're not together. He's just my friend" she stated flatly.

They all three nodded in unison. "We only worry about you, Elena" the second teacher said. "You being all alone in the situation you're in" she added.

"Well I'm fine" Elena said, choosing to try and ignore her comment.

"If you say so" the principle said. "Well, I guess we should leave you to your lunch" she said, motioning for the other two ladies to follow her out.

Elena waited for them to leave before she tossed her pencil down and rested her face against her hands.

**XXXXXXXXXXXX**

The next day went a lot better. Elena got to leave at lunch to go to her doctor's appointment. This was an important one. She was going to find out if she was having a boy or a girl. While she was anxiously waiting in the waiting area to be called back, a familiar face stopped by. "Hundred bucks says it's a girl" Stefan said as he walked by her with a chart in his hand. He was on his way back from a floor meeting and decided to take a shortcut through Maternity in hopes of catching her before she went in.

Elena looked up and smiled. "Happy and healthy is all that matters" she said, wringing her hands nervously together.

Stefan sat down next to her and grabbed her hand. "Why are you so nervous?" he asked.

Elena shrugged. "I don't know. I'm always nervous for these appointments" she told him. Part of her was afraid that they would find something wrong with the baby. "Can you go in with me?" she asked, turning her head to look up at him.

He looked surprised that she would ask him, but he agreed. "Sure" he told her, forcing a smile. He hoped it wouldn't be awkward.

But by the time they were in the room and Dr. Fell had the ultrasound up and running, all thoughts of awkwardness left. Both of their eyes were glued to the screen as they heard the heartbeat and saw glimpses of a baby. "Heartbeat is strong" Dr. Fell said, continuing to look at the screen. "Everything looks to be developing nicely" she added with a smile.

Elena reached for Stefan's hand to hold as she looked at her baby on the screen. Every time she came in here, it became more real. Stefan scooted his chair closer to Elena's bed as he leaned against her arm and stared at the screen too. It was pretty amazing to think there was a little person inside of there, growing and moving around.

"Would you like to know the sex of the baby?" Dr. Fell asked, bringing Stefan and Elena out of their amazed state.

Elena nodded her head eagerly. "Yes" she breathed excitedly.

The doctor smiled and looked at the screen for a moment. "A beautiful, healthy girl" Dr. Fell told her.

Elena smiled exuberantly as she turned to look up at Stefan who looked just as happy. "A girl" Elena said, leaning back in her pillow.

"That's what she wanted" Stefan mentioned to the doctor. "Congrats" he told Elena, reaching down and brushing her temple with his lips.

"Congratulations, Elena" the doctor said, shutting the machine down and wiping Elena's stomach off.

When the doctor cleared out, Stefan helped Elena up. "I have to go shopping soon" she said excitedly. "Now I can get everything she needs in the right color."

Stefan smiled as he held the door open for her. "I'm really happy for you" he said, following her out.

Elena turned around once they were back in the waiting room. "Thank you for going in there with me" she told him. Her face was still glowing from the news.

"Thanks for letting me" he told her, looking into her eyes as he said it. He desperately wanted to kiss her. But he couldn't. "Drive home safely" he told her.

Elena nodded. "I will. I'll see you tonight" she told him. Elena clutched her purse and began walking away from him. She looked back and smiled at him one last time before getting onto the elevator.

He began walking back to his office, humming quietly to himself. His thoughts wandered, but landed on wondering if she had chosen a name for the baby yet.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Okay, a little heartache in this chapter. But I think it serves a purpose : ) And don't worry, Elijah will reappear again!**

**Thank you for the reviews and the tweets! I love to read your thoughts.**

Elena quickly packed up her bad, eager to get back to Stefan's house. They were going to order in and watch a movie. It was Stefan's turn to pick the movie so it would probably be something with cars and things blowing up, even though she had hinted at wanting to watch Titanic. But she got to pick out where they ordered in from, so she chose crepes from this little French café that she really liked.

As Elena zipped up her bag, she smiled at the thought of getting to relax and spend the evening with him. The past few days had been hard. He had to stay late for meetings and she was so tired she fell asleep as soon as she got home from work.

But when she looked up, she saw the principle hovering at the door. "Mrs. Byerson" Elena greeted, grabbing her jacket and putting it on. "I'm on my way out. Is there something I can help you with?" Elena asked.

Mrs. Byerson sighed as she walked into Elena's classroom and shut the door. "I need a moment to talk to you, please" she said, walking towards Elena.

"Okay" Elena said, setting her bag down and sitting back down in her chair. Her feet hurt too much to be standing.

"I held a meeting with the board yesterday" she began. Elena did not like where this was going. "There was some concern over your personal choices made outside of the school day" she said.

Elena raised her eyebrow with confusion. "My personal choices?" Elena asked. Last time she checked, she wasn't selling herself out on the street or getting drunk in public.

Mrs. Byerson nodded. "The board is concerned about the values that this school serves to uphold" she stated. "We are concerned about your pregnancy out of wedlock. And now you're living with some man" she explained.

Elena couldn't help but scoff. "First of all, my relationship status is none of your business" she stated firmly. "Second, I am a good teacher and my personal choices as you call them do not interfere with my ability to teach" she added, this time with a bit of anger creeping into her voice. Hormones.

"We are concerned about the reactions of the parents if they were to find out about your situation" she continued. "The last thing we need is a mob of angry parents, especially when we need their votes for the upcoming budget."

"Have any of the parents raised concerns about my, situation?" she asked, her irritation getting the better of her.

"Well, no. Not yet" she answered. "But, like I said, we would like to prevent this from happening."

"And how do you plan on preventing this?" Elena asked.

Mrs. Byerson sighed. "The board has decided to let you go on maternity leave early. Next month" she stated. Elena stared at her in disbelief. "You'll still receive all of your benefits and your salary" she assured her. "Come next school year, we can review your case and go from there."

"With all do respect, I do not want to go on maternity leave that early" Elena told her. "I want to finish out the school year as planned" she added, standing up. The thought of the kids having to adjust to someone new with only a few months left of the school year upset her.

"I'm afraid this is not a choice, Elena" she said, clasping her hands together. "We've already hired someone to replace you. As I mentioned, we will discuss the possibility for you to come back in the fall."

"You can't do this!" Elena said, losing her rationality and raising her voice.

"The school board has made their decision" Mrs. Byerson said, narrowing her eyes at Elena. "All legal action would be futile. You and I both know this" she said, reading Elena's mind. "I'm sorry it has come to this, but I do wish you well" she added, softening her eyes.

Elena crossed her arms and shook her head. Tears pricked at the back of her eyes and she was sure she was going to cry at any moment. If they were going to try and get rid of her, she was going to make sure that it was on her terms. "Fine" Elena said, grabbing her bag and slinging it over her shoulder. "I quit!" she said before storming off.

Yes. All rationality had gone out the window.

**XXXXXXXXXXXX**

Stefan smiled when he heard Elena walk in. He had the DVD set up and their food was waiting on the kitchen counter. "Hey!" he called out from the other room.

Elena hung up her coat and put on her poker face. She refused to cry in front of him. Even though she wanted to cry so hard over the fact that she just quit her job when she walked out on the principle. It was nothing for Stefan to worry about. He already worried about her too much. So, Elena put her best poker face on as she turned around to look at him.

"Fight Club" he said, smiling as he waved the DVD case in front of him. It was one of his favorites.

Elena looked into his warm and caring eyes for about two seconds before instantly bursting into tears. He was safe. As much as she did not want to break down in front of him, she could. Elena covered her face with her hands and Stefan frowned.

"Elena?" he asked, setting the DVD case down and wrapping his arms around her, pulling her close. "I'm sorry" he said, thinking it was his fault. "We can watch Titanic instead" he told her. This only made Elena cry harder. He pulled her closer as she collapsed against his chest. "Shhh" he soothed, running his hand up and down her arm softly.

Stefan let her continue to cry for a good ten minutes until she was finally sobbing quietly. Something must have happened. "Come here" he said, walking with her back to the living room and sitting down with her on the couch. Her mascara had run and her eyes and nose were puffy. "What happened?" he asked her, searching her eyes.

"I quit my job" she said before crying all over again. Stefan furrowed his brow, but wrapped her up in his arms again. "They were going to let me go next month and I got really mad so I quit" she cried, clutching onto his shirt.

"They wanted to let you go?" Stefan asked. Elena nodded her head against him. "They can't do that" he stated.

Elena lifted her head up to look at him. "Yes, they could of" Elena said sadly. Then a look of horror spread across her face. "I've lost everything" she told him. "My salary. My health insurance" she said, her lip beginning to tremble as she covered her mouth. She hadn't even thought about all of that in the moment. "I really screwed up" she said. "I didn't even think about her" she said, looking down at her stomach before closing her eyes and beginning to cry some more.

"Hey now" Stefan said, brushing some hair out of her face. Elena reluctantly opened her eyes and looked at him. "Those people" Stefan said, looking into her eyes. "They made you feel bad about yourself. They did nothing but put you down. And you walked away. It was in the best interest for you, Elena" he told her, wiping a tear off of her cheek. "You were looking out for her" he said, smiling encouragingly.

But Elena didn't believe him. "I don't know what I'm going to do" she said as she sighed shakily. No school was going to hire her this close to the end of the year.

Stefan looked at her sadly. After all this time, she still couldn't see that he would take care of her for the rest of her life if he had to. "You have me" he reminded her gently, grabbing her hand to hold. "Whatever you need, I'll take care of it. And I already told you that you could stay here as long as you wanted."

Elena shook her head no. "I can't let you do that" she told him. She would have to figure out how to get herself out of her own mess. "You've already done too much."

"I'd do anything for you, Elena" he said, his breath suddenly short as he said those words. "Her too" he added with a small smile as he pointed towards her stomach.

Elena's eyes were waiting for his when he looked back up at her. She had a look of confusion. "Why?" she whispered.

"Because" he said, squeezing her hand. "You're my friend, Elena. I care about you" he told her. "Whatever you need, I mean it" he added, bringing her hand to his lips and kissing it.

Elena leaned forward and rested her head against his, taking slow breaths to calm herself down. She wasn't going to be homeless. He wouldn't let that happen. "I don't know what I would do without you" she said so quietly that it broke his heart.

Stefan kissed the side of her head and closed his eyes. "You don't have to worry about that" he told her.

It wasn't fair – to depend on him like this. She knew this. And she promised herself that she would repay him for everything he was going to do for her. Everything that he already had done. "Thank you" she said, pulling herself away from him again.

Stefan smiled and placed his hands on her shoulders. "I don't want you to stress about anything right now" he said, telling her rather than asking. "If you're stressed, she's stressed" he reminded her. Elena looked down at her stomach and nodded. She knew that. "You should go and take a shower" he suggested this time, rubbing her shoulder softly.

"Yeah" Elena nodded. Stefan helped her up and she shuffled slowly out of the room.

Stefan waited until she was out of the room before he collapsed back on the couch and sighed. He had no problem supporting her. He had meant what he said about helping her. He had looked out for her since they were small. Why would she expect him not to now?

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

_July 17__th__, 1998_

_They had been riding their bikes almost all day. Elena didn't have gymnastics and Stefan was done with his summer football camp. So Stefan had ridden his bike to her house and she had gotten hers out so they could go and ride. Mystic Falls was a small and relatively safe town, so they were allowed to go all over. As long as they stayed together. That was the rule. _

_They rode to The Grill that particular day to get a milkshake. Stefan paid. He always did. They sat across the table from one another and shared it, sipping through their straws and giggling like little kids did whenever one of them dribbled ice cream down their chin._

"_What are you asking for, for your 9__th__ birthday this year?" Stefan asked her, going back to drinking the milkshake. It was so typical of him to start thinking about this two months ahead of time._

_Elena shrugged. "Like a pony or something" Elena answered._

"_A pony?" Stefan asked. "Do you think your parents will get you a pony?" he asked._

_Elena sighed. "Probably not. So maybe I'll ask for a new bike" she said instead. She was starting to outgrow her current one._

"_I bet they'll get you one" Stefan said. Her parents were pretty good about getting her what she wanted. You could say that she was spoiled, but you also had to say that she was a really sweet kid._

_Elena smiled and they finished off their milkshake, continuing to giggle on and off. Once Stefan had paid and they were back outside, he helped her with her helmet because she still had trouble getting the clip fastened without pinching herself under her chin. Then they grabbed their bikes. "I'll race ya home!" Elena said, pushing herself off and taking off down the sidewalk._

"_Hey!" Stefan yelled, chasing after her. They took a shortcut over Wickery Bridge and Elena was still in the lead. But Stefan soon caught up and passed her. She stuck her tongue out at him. "Come on slowpoke!" he called over his shoulder._

_The sound of metal hitting dirt and her cry for help echoed through the air. "Stefan!" she cried, slumped on the ground and holding her bloody knee. Stefan stopped his bike and let it fall to the ground as he went running back for her. "It hurts!" she cried out, pulling her knee closer to her._

_Stefan knelt down beside her and looked at her knee. It was bleeding pretty badly. "It's okay Elena, don't cry" he told her. "It doesn't look so bad" he lied. _

_She looked up at him and her tears instantly stopped. "Really?" she asked with a sniffle. _

_Stefan smiled. "Yeah. Just a scratch" he said. "Can you stand up?"_

_With Stefan's help, Elena stood up. She took a step and nearly fell again, but he caught her. "It hurts too bad to walk" she said, ready to cry all over again. _

_Stefan nodded. "Hold on" he said, setting her back down and fetching their bikes to pull them into the bushes and out of sight. "Okay, come on" he said, holding his hands out to her to help her up again. "I'll have to carry you" he said, bending down so she could climb up on his back. Elena did so carefully. He had piggybacked her before, though they were now about a mile from home. _

_Stefan wrapped his arms around her legs to hold her in place as he set off for the long walk back to her parents' house. They didn't say much, though Stefan asked her how she was doing every now and then. Blood had run down her leg and had dried there. From what he could tell, there was dirt and rocks stuck in her knee too. _

_It took him almost half an hour to get her home. He was sweating and breathing hard by the time he got there. They were almost the same size now, though she probably weighed a little less. But nonetheless, it was hot out._

_He set Elena down on her porch swing and went running into the Gilbert house, forgetting his manners to knock. "Grayson Grayson Grayson!" he yelled, flying through the living area and going out to the back porch where her parents were enjoying the sun and some tea. He always called her parent's by their first names because they insisted on it._

_Grayson stood up upon seeing Stefan drenched in sweat with bloodstains on his shirt and shorts. "What happened?" he asked in his calm doctor tone._

"_Elena fell off her bike by Wickery Bridge!" he said quickly._

_Grayson nodded. "Miranda, get him cleaned up. I'll take the car and go and get Elena" he said, walking towards the back door._

"_Elena's on the porch swing" Stefan spit out. Her parents both looked at him._

_Then all three headed back into the house and out the front door. They saw Elena sitting on the swing with her bloody leg and her tear-stained face. "Hi Daddy. Hi Mommy" she said with a smile._

"_Hey baby girl" Grayson said, bending down to look at her knee. "That must have been some fall. Where's your bike?" he asked._

_Elena looked at Stefan. "In the bushes" she answered. "Stefan carried me back" she added, smiling at him._

_Her parents both turned and looked at him again. He suddenly felt uneasy under their stare. "You carried her all that way?" Miranda asked with a soft and appreciative tone in her voice._

_Stefan swallowed before nodding. "She said it hurt to walk. And I didn't want to leave her" he said slowly and quietly. He wondered if that had been the wrong thing to do._

_Grayson stood up and walked over to Stefan. He bent down to his level and placed a hand on his shoulder. "That was very honorable of you, Stefan" he said, a genuine smile on his face. "Thank you for looking out for her" he added before standing back up. "Go on inside with Miranda and get cleaned up" he instructed and Stefan nodded his head. _

_Miranda smiled as she took Stefan's hand and brought him back inside. Stefan looked at Elena the whole time until he was through the door. "You're going to be a wonderful man when you get older" Miranda smiled, sitting him at the kitchen table. She grabbed a wet washcloth and began wiping the blood and dirt off of him. _

_Grayson carried Elena inside and sat her on the kitchen counter. He grabbed the first aid kit from under the sink and went to work on cleaning up her cut. "Stefan, I'll take you home and then I'll go and pick up your bikes" Grayson said as he worked on Elena. _

"_Thank you" Stefan said. Miranda had gone off to get a pair of Jeremy's shorts and a t-shirt for Stefan to change into. Stefan took the clothes and went upstairs to Elena and Jeremy's bathroom to change._

"_Can he stay for dinner?" Elena asked, wincing as her dad poured something on her knee._

_Miranda smiled. "Of course he can" she said warmly. When Stefan did return, Miranda took his dirty clothes to wash. "Elena would like you to stay for dinner" she said._

"_I'd like that" Stefan answered, sneaking a smile at Elena. He waited for her father to bandage up her knee. _

"_Good as new" Grayson said, setting her down on her own feet. Stefan stopped himself from rushing to her side to help her walk. She seemed to be much better now. "Just don't be running around" he warned her. _

"_Why don't you two go upstairs and watch a movie?" Miranda suggested. "I'll come and get you when dinner's ready."_

"_Okay" Elena said. She limped past her father towards Stefan. "Come on" she said._

_Stefan wrapped his arm around her awkwardly as he helped her along. It was quite a challenge to get up the stairs, but they made it._

_Grayson wrapped his arm around Miranda as they watched them. "Isn't he just precious?" Miranda asked._

"_He's going to make a fine husband one day" Grayson agreed._

**XXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Stefan put the food away and went upstairs to check on Elena. He kind of hoped that she would come back downstairs to eat, but he wasn't going to push her to do so tonight.

When he approached her room, he pushed on the door and poked his head in. She was sound asleep. He let out a sigh of relief before closing her door quietly. He was worried about her. He always was.


	8. Chapter 8

Elena marked her calendar that she kept in her room. Six weeks until her due date. She was excited and terrified, but mostly excited.

She had talked with a few schools about possibly beginning to teach in the fall, though the baby would only be six weeks old or so. She was really hesitant to go back to work that soon, though she knew her savings would run out eventually.

Elena had gotten the chance to say goodbye to her class when she went to pack up her desk. The kids had been sad, but they were a lot more understanding than she would have thought. Each one of them hugged her and gave suggestions on what to name the baby. A lot of Disney Princess names were suggested.

Stefan had kept his promise to support her and although she still didn't like it, she had been getting used to it. She pitched in more around the house so he wouldn't have to do so much when he got home. He insisted that she didn't have to do that, but Elena insisted that she did. Other than that, everything was pretty much the same. They had movie night a few times a week and she still kicked his butt at card games.

Caroline had been spending a lot of time with her lately while Stefan was at work. Lunch dates and baby shopping. Caroline bought a new outfit for the baby every time Elena saw her. She now had quite a few clothes, a car seat, and the basics. Diapers, bottles, and lotions. Everything was still packed away though, as Elena was not sure how much longer she would be staying with Stefan. He had been the one to buy the car seat, having found it circled in one of her catalogues that she kept on the coffee table. She had been extremely surprised to see it arrive on the doorstep. Elena had tried to pay him back numerous times, but he just kept putting the money back into her bank account on his way to work. She finally gave up. Caroline was also busily planning away for Elena's baby shower.

But Elena finally was going to get a day to herself. She had been craving blackberry cobbler and Stefan needed more coffee. The grocery store was as much excitement as she was going to get for the day. It was also about all she could do in one day anymore without having to take a nap or two. Though she would probably still take a nap.

Stefan finally came downstairs, dressed in his business attire as usual. She handed him his coffee and placed a plate of eggs and bacon in front of him. He looked at them, studied them like he did everything she cooked. She just rolled her eyes. "They're edible" she said, moving back to the refrigerator to get another glass of juice for herself.

"I didn't say anything" he mock defended. He was grinning though because he knew she knew.

"But you were thinking it" she told him. That was just as bad.

"Can you blame me?" he asked, sitting down and continuing to grin.

Elena huffed. "That was ten years ago!" she reminded him. "And it should be the thought that counts" she added, taking a sip of her juice.

"I appreciated the thought" he told her sincerely. "It was the burnt, rock hard pancakes that cracked my tooth that I didn't appreciate" he added, smirking at her. He loved these playful moments between them. It reminded him of when they were younger.

"Your tooth got fixed" she pointed at him. "And you're the one who had called and distracted me from my cooking" she defended.

Stefan took a bite of his eggs and smiled again. He had called and distracted her. They could talk on the phone for hours at a time. They often did. "These are really good" he said, ignoring her last comment.

She seemed to forget upon hearing his words. "Good" she smiled. She grabbed a bowl of strawberries and came to sit down beside him.

Stefan eyed her breakfast choice. "You should be eating what I'm eating" he told her. "Protein."

Elena rolled her eyes again. "If I wanted someone to tell me how to live my pregnant life, I would have moved in with my aunt" she reminded.

Stefan laughed. "How is Jenna?" he asked. He hadn't seen her since he left for college. She had called a few times over the years to wish him a happy birthday though.

"Good" Elena said. "She's in Colorado working on research at the state university there" she answered. "She and Alaric got married last year."

"Tell her congrats next time you talk to her" Stefan said, standing and putting his plate in the dishwasher.

"I will" Elena agreed. "Are you heading out?" she asked, picking up another strawberry.

He nodded. "Yeah. I'll be home around four" he said. He liked to let her know so she wouldn't worry. Out of respect, too. "What are you up to today?" he asked.

"Grocery shopping and napping" she said. "My life is so exciting" she added sarcastically. Stefan grinned. "Have a good da …ow" she said, grabbing her side and leaning forward.

He practically ran around the counter to her. "What?" he asked, going into emergency preparedness mode.

But Elena soon smiled. "She's kicking" she said, moving her hand around her stomach. "There" she said, feeling it again. She smiled bigger, grabbing his hand. She had felt it before a few times, but not nearly this much. "Feel" she said, placing his hand on her with her hand over his. He broke into a smile when he felt what she was feeling. "Do you feel it?" she asked.

"I do" he said, moving his other hand onto her stomach. The baby kicked again and once more before stopping. "She's going to be an athlete" Stefan announced.

"You think?" Elena asked, elation beaming across her features.

"Yeah. Gymnastics or dance. Probably soccer too" he said. Elena smiled again and looked down at their hands. He became suddenly aware of how much she was focusing on them, so, he quickly removed his hands and stood up straight. It was so much more real for him now, to picture the baby arriving and growing up to do dance or gymnastics or some other sport. But he knew that he really had no say in what she did. Whether she was a ballerina or a gymnast. He didn't even know how much he would be in her life, realizing again that everything was Elena's decision. And he hated that. "I uh, I should get going now" he said awkwardly. "Thank you for breakfast."

Elena looked up, forcing a smile to hide her disappointment that he had to leave. She had known that he had to go to work, but after such excitement, she wished that he could stay home with her, just in case the baby started to kick again. "You're welcome" she managed to say.

Stefan wondered for a moment if there was disappointment in her voice, but he quickly dismissed the thought. "Bye" he said, grabbing his stuff and making his way out of the kitchen.

"Bye" she said quietly once he was out of the room. She stared across the empty room for a moment, wondering if maybe she should have grabbed his hand and had him feel the baby move. Maybe he hadn't wanted to. Maybe it had been uncomfortable. After all, it was some other man's baby.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXX**

She finally made it to the grocery store a few hours later. She had gotten caught up in a pregnancy book, talking mostly about the benefit of Lamaze classes. Then again, she didn't want to go by herself and wasn't sure if Stefan would feel comfortable going with her. But she was anxious about getting started, so she decided to call him and ask while she walked around the store.

He picked up on the first ring. "Hi" he said, and she could hear him smiling. This was good. Whatever awkwardness that had set in between them earlier was done. Until, of course, she brought up the birthing classes probably.

"Hey, do you have a minute?" she asked.

"For you? Always" he said in his light-hearted way that he always portrayed when he was around her.

"Good" she said. "I needed to ask you something. And I don't want you to feel like you have to say yes just because I'm asking" she stated. Stefan's grip on his phone tightened. So many things ran through his mind as to what she could be asking him. "Would you be willing to go to my birthing classes with me?" she asked nervously. "Partners are optional, but I think it would be awkward to go by myself" she added. There was a long pause and she began to regret asking him. "You know what, never mind. I will ask Caroline" she said quickly.

"No!" he said, almost too quickly. He had just been processing the fact that she had asked him to go and be a part of this. "Of course I will go. When are they?" he asked.

Elena grabbed Stefan's favorite coffee off of the shelf and put in her cart. "They would start next week, every Saturday" she answered.

"Great" he said, sounding far more enthusiastic than she had expected him to be.

She heard his office phone ring and thought she had better let him go. "I should let you get that. See you when you get home."

"See you" he said before hanging up. She felt herself sigh with relief, wondering when she had ever felt so uncomfortable with talking to him before. She used to tell him everything. Things had changed though, she reminded herself.

When she finished her shopping and checked out, she nearly ran into Damon on her way out. "Elena. What a surprise to run into you here" he said, smiling his signature smile.

Elena smiled in return. "I just had to pick up a few things for Stefan" she said, choosing to ignore the fact that the cobbler was for her and that she would probably not be sharing.

"For Stefan?" Damon asked, quirking an eyebrow at her. Elena nodded. "Oh, well, do you have time for lunch?" he asked. "I would love to sit down with you and catch up" he said, giving her another smile.

Elena looked at him nervously. Damon had not been by the house in a while and anytime Elena asked Stefan about it, he changed the subject. Caroline did too. Maybe Damon was being moody again and no one wanted to deal with him. "Well, I already ate" Elena told him. "But I could sit down and talk for a bit" she said instead.

Damon nodded. "Sounds good" he said.

They ended up sitting outside on one of the benches. He was drinking an iced coffee and she had opted for a smoothie. She could tell that he had something on his mind since the moment he had seen her.

"So, how are things with you?" she asked awkwardly. She had never really had to converse with Damon too much. Stefan had always cut in and taken her away which had amused Damon greatly. Elena had always wondered what Stefan was so afraid of, other than the fact that he always said Damon liked to play games and ruin lives. Surely, with Elena being Stefan's childhood friend, he would treat her with respect.

"Fine" he said, giving her a one word answer. "You?" he asked, continuing to stare at her.

Elena shrugged. "I'm pretty good. Tired, sore. But I guess I can't complain too much" she smiled, resting her hand on her stomach. "Was there something in particular that you wanted to talk about?" she asked. She was ready to go home and take a nap.

"What?" he asked, his lips lifting into a smirk. "Can't I just sit down and have a friendly conversation with my sister-in-law?" he asked, smirking even more at his question.

Elena's eyes got a bit wider as she processed his question. "Oh, Stefan and I … we aren't … together" she said, seemingly embarrassed by his comment.

"I just assumed since you're living with him, and that he pays for everything that you need for you and the baby, that you two were a couple now" he said, feigning his confusion.

An extreme pang of guilt hit her instantly. Elena was well aware of what Stefan was doing for her. It just sounded so much worse hearing about it from someone else. "Stefan's been wonderful" was all she could say, looking down at her hands. She could have gone and found some other job that had her on her feet all day and paid crappy, but he had insisted that she focus on the baby.

"He has" Damon agreed. "Which is why I'm worried. I don't want to see him get hurt" he sighed.

Elena looked up at him confused. "I would never do anything to hurt Stefan" she said, a bit defensively. She loved Stefan. He was her best friend.

"Maybe not on purpose" Damon said, crossing his arms. Stirring up trouble was what he did best. As long as it brought him amusement, he didn't care who got hurt.

Now Elena was just frustrated. "What's that supposed to mean?" she asked, biting her tongue to keep from adding anything more.

"Are you really that blind?" Damon asked. "Everyone can see it but you" he said, pretending to care. Really, he hated having to watch his brother pine over Elena day in and day out. He was all day dreamy and wishful all the time. It was disturbing. Damon just wanted to see his brother move on with his life – have fun. Party. Go from girl to girl. Like he wanted to do, but couldn't, thanks to that drunken night in Vegas.

"See what?" Elena asked, keeping her tone even.

"I'm sick and tired of you taking advantage of him" Damon said, shaking his head upon hearing Elena. He made it sound like he cared, and if Elena had not been so upset by this conversation, she might have seen right through him. That he was causing trouble on purpose. "You're just stringing him along. But how is he supposed to move on with his life, Elena?" he asked. "When he's letting you and the baby live with him?"

"We've talked about it. He doesn't feel that I am taking advantage of him. So if you have a problem, maybe you need to find a way to deal with it" she said, standing up and grabbing her purse. This conversation was over.

"He loves you" Damon blurted out, figuring it was about damn time that she heard it. It was true, but most of all, Stefan didn't want her to know this. He felt a sense of happiness at the fact that he outed Stefan.

"What?" Elena asked, almost forgetting her irritation and laughing instead. Damon eyed her seriously. He didn't like that she was laughing at him. He should have been laughing at her. And Stefan. "That's ridiculous. Stefan is my friend" she stated.

"Is it ridiculous, Elena?" Damon asked. "The way he worries about you, takes care of you …" he listed off. "Do you not see how badly he wants to raise your baby and make a family with you?" he asked. He couldn't help the grin he was now wearing. The look on Elena's face was priceless. The fact that it was all true and some big secret made it so much better.

"Stop it" Elena said, becoming more upset by the minute. She felt a tear escape and quickly wiped it away. "Why are you doing this?" she asked.

Damon stood up now, shrugging. "I just hate seeing my brother want something that you don't intend on giving him" he said. "I'm sorry that I've upset you" he said, feigning his sincerity. "It was so nice catching up with you, Elena" he said, smiling at her before turning around and leaving.

Elena felt more tears escape as she stood there by herself. Damon was lying. He was playing games, like he always did. Stefan had warned her to never trust his brother. But why would he do this, knowing that she would run to Stefan and tell him? That would be the end of his game. Stefan would get mad and then, it would be over. Nothing would change. Unless, everything that Damon said was true, and the outcome would be much more disastrous.

She began to feel light-heated, so she sat down for a moment and rested her eyes. She would have known if Stefan had feelings for her. Romantic feelings. She shook her head. Even if there was a possibility of this, he would have told her.

Right? Or could he have been that obsessed with her that he kept all of this to himself. He couldn't possibly want to be a family with her and the baby, could he? No.

**XXXXXXXXXXXX**

Elena found that her thoughts became more paranoid as she got closer to home. Stefan's home, not hers. Her paranoid thoughts were making her emotional now, too. She wasn't crying, but she was irritable. She was confused and all she wanted to do was get this settled once and for all.

When she pulled into his driveway, she sat in the car for a few minutes, taking deep breaths. When she did finally get out, she walked inside. "I'm upstairs!" Stefan called.

Elena sat her grocery bags down and climbed the stairs in search of him. She found him in the last bedroom. "What are you doing?" she asked, stopping and staring directly at the paintbrush in his hand. Light pink paint.

Stefan smiled, looking at the wall he had begun to paint as soon as he had gotten home. "I thought pink walls might look better than white" he said.

Elena felt a frustrated sigh escape her. "Don't do this" she said, her frustration evident.

"Paint the wall?" he asked, suddenly confused about her frustration. She had been so excited earlier about sharing with him that the baby was kicking and inviting him to those classes. What changed? "Did you want it to be yellow?" he asked, suddenly afraid that he had chosen the wrong color.

"Are you in love with me?" she asked, her voice shaky as she did so.

Stefan locked eyes with hers for a moment, but quickly dropped them to the floor. "I care about you" he told her nervously. He desperately wondered why she was bringing this up now. When he left this morning, she seemed fine.

"That's not what I asked" she said through gritted teeth. "Are you in love with me?" she asked again, this time more forcefully.

Stefan's mind was racing. This was it. He looked up at her finally and saw how upset she looked. He still questioned why she was asking him this. But he couldn't lie to her anymore. "Yes" he whispered.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: This is a pretty short update, but I wanted to stop it where I did. So, I hope you can forgive me. I will make the next one a little longer :D **

**The sequel to Until This Lie Do Us Part is still in progress. I will let you all know via Twitter (TVDVampireKat) when I have posted the first update. Hopefully soon!**

**Thank you for the reviews for this story. I am very excited about where I can take this story from this point forward!**

**I was asked to share my thoughts on the S3 finale. So, SPOILER ALERT for those who have not watched yet.**

_**To be honest, I am disappointed in a few things. The re-writing of history (Damon meeting Elena first). Elena's fate. The reason I loved the story so much was because she was human and Stefan had to really work on himself in order to be with her. I was just not ready for that yet. Also, the Klaus and Tyler thing. I would much rather see Joseph Morgan portraying Klaus. As for the future for Stefan and Elena. Human Elena chose Stefan. I really hate to say it, but I think Vampire Elena will want Damon. I just really hope Elena is not an exact portrayal of Katherine (who I love). I am very apprehensive about Season 4. But, I will keep writing to keep me sane :P**_

_February 1__st__, 1994_

_Stefan stood at the front of the class, the teacher standing behind him. Fifteen pairs of eyes were staring at him, making him uncomfortable. He wondered if it wasn't too late to run out of the room, down the hall, and catch his parents before they left the parking lot. He didn't want to be there. _

_Stefan stared down at his feet nervously. "Class, this is Stefan. I would like you all to welcome him. He just moved to Mystic Falls with his family from Italy" she announced._

_Stefan shifted his weight uneasily. He was starting at a new school halfway through the year. Everyone already had made friends. No one was going to want to be his friend. Especially since he had just come from another country. He wanted to tell the class that he was born in California and that he had only lived in Italy the past year due to his father's job. But he couldn't find the courage to speak up. _

"_Stefan, would you like to say anything?" the teacher asked. Stefan lifted his eyes to the class slowly and looked at them. They were still staring at him. So, he shook his head no. "Okay" she said. _

_He couldn't take it anymore. He had to get out of there. But just as he was about to take his first step towards the door, a pair of bright brown eyes caught his. She smiled at him, her brown eyes almost twinkling with kindness and curiosity all mixed together. He even felt himself smile at her momentarily before he looked back down at his feet. Though he peeked up at her with one eye. Because he couldn't help but look at her. _

"_Stefan, why don't you have a seat right there next to Elena" the teacher suggested. Slowly, Stefan shuffled his feet forward, trying hard not to look at her as he sat down next to her. "Here's your workbook" the teacher added, setting it on his desk for him. The teacher got them all started on a counting activity in the book. "You can color the page if you would like, too" she added._

_Stefan's anxiety increased when he saw all the other kids pull out crayons and begin coloring in their books. He hadn't brought crayons. _

_A small yellow box appeared on his desk suddenly, distracting him momentarily. "You can use mine" Elena said quietly, smiling the whole time she did. He stared at her blankly for a moment, processing her kindness. "You just count all the dots and write the number down. Sometimes we color them to help us" she explained, pointing at the page in his book._

_Stefan nodded. "Thank you" he said quietly. _

"_You're welcome, Stefan" she said, smiling again as she went back to her workbook. _

_Stefan watched her for a moment, smiling as he did. He may have only been five, but he could already tell that Elena was someone he was going to want to keep in his life._

**XXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Stefan stood completely still, trying to gage Elena's reaction. Was she surprised? Angry? Thrilled? He couldn't tell. She was just staring at him, looking into his eyes, and it was painful to not know what she was thinking. "Elena?" he asked, touching her elbow. He couldn't take it anymore.

"How long?" she asked, stepping away from him. He didn't answer her. "How. Long?" she asked slowly. Angrily.

"I don't know" Stefan said quietly. Guiltily. Since the first time he met her? Maybe. Maybe he just didn't know it was love back then.

She shook her head nervously. She looked pale. Frantic, even. "You … you have to stop. You can't be in love with me" she told him quickly. She was pregnant with someone else's baby for gosh sakes!

He looked at her, quite confused. "I can't just turn off my feelings" he reminded her.

Realization hit her. Hard. "Were you in love with me, when you asked me to move in?" she asked. Stefan looked away from her, his guilt giving her the answer she needed. "God, Stefan! How could you not tell me!" she yelled at him.

"Elena, I was going to tell you. I just … I wanted to make sure that you and the baby were okay" he told her.

This only seemed to anger her more. "I can take care of myself!" she snapped at him. "If I had known that you were in love with me and had some, secret fantasy about being with me, I would have never moved in with you!" she yelled. She was shaking she was so angry.

"I know you can take care of yourself" he assured her, calmly. "But when I found out you were pregnant, I just kept thinking about how unfair it was that you were by yourself and I wanted …" he began, swallowing nervously before continuing. "I wanted to help you and to be there for you. The baby too" he explained sincerely.

Elena's eyes were glued to his as she listened to him. He wanted to help her take care of the baby. He didn't want her to be alone. "She is not your baby. She will never be your baby" Elena said, her words cutting through him in the most painful way possible.

Stefan stared at her for a moment. She stared right back at him, her eyes filled with betrayal.

A silent tear fell down his cheek. He quickly wiped it away, pretending that it was never there. Never had Elena been so hurtful towards him. Never had she wounded him so greatly. But then, why should her words have affected him so much? The baby wasn't his. Her words were true. But he nodded, his hurt evident. "You're right" he agreed. "She's not mine" he said, repeating her words. They cut right through him all over again.

Elena couldn't stand the thought of him hurting so badly right now. The thought that she had done it. Even if she was angry, it wasn't fair to hurt him after everything he had done for her. "I can't stay here" she said, backing up slowly. She should have never moved in.

"Elena, don't" Stefan said quickly. He didn't care how much she had just hurt him. He couldn't stand the thought of her being by herself, where there was no one to keep an eye on her so late into her pregnancy.

"You're a liar" Elena said, her own tears springing from her eyes. There. She had just been hurtful once again. She was officially a terrible person. "I don't want to be anywhere near you anymore" she said, shaking her head and closing her eyes as her tears erupted.

This only seemed to make Stefan cry more too. He hated crying. He rarely did it. "Don't go. Stay. I'll go" he told her as the tears continued to slowly roll down his face.

But Elena wasn't about to let him give up his house. Not after his recent revelation. "No" she said, opening her eyes and shaking her head at him. "I'm going" she told him, turning around and walking out of the room.

Stefan didn't follow her right away. He dropped the paintbrush on the floor and stared at the door she had just gone through. He wondered, briefly, how Elena had figured out that he was in love with her. Maybe she had figured it out on her own. But maybe someone had told her, too. Caroline would never do that to him. But Damon. He would.

Elena slung her bag over her shoulder, still fighting back her tears that seemed to flow so freely now. When she left the room, she found Stefan at the bottom of the staircase. His tears had ceased, but the stains they left on his cheeks were still there. "Please don't go, Elena" he told her quietly, though desperately. If something were to happen to her and he couldn't be there for her, he would never forgive himself. "I'm supposed to look out for you" he said, his tears threatening to spill once again.

Elena took a slow breath. "Not anymore, Stefan" she said sadly. "I can't be around you, when you can't be honest with me" she added, her voice cracking. This was Stefan. How could she be saying these things to Stefan?

"Where are you going?" he asked, panic rising in his voice. She really was leaving.

"I don't know. A hotel probably" she told him, avoiding his eyes. Where else did she have to go?

"The baby is due in six weeks" he reminded her, his voice quiet and concerned. She needed a stable place to stay. To prepare for the baby.

"I know when my baby is due" she said, her voice hardening as she said it. She made a move to walk past him, but he blocked her path.

"At least take this" he said, handing her his credit card. "I won't check the statement. I just want to make sure you have everything you need" he told her.

Elena blinked back a few tears. "Goodbye, Stefan" Elena said, the words hurting her as she said them. She stepped around him, opening the door and walking out without his credit card.

Stefan sat at the bottom of the stairs, pulling his knees up to his chest and burying his face in them as the pain ripped through his chest. It was his own fault, though. And now, he might have lost her forever.

**XXXXXXXXXXXX**

It had been two weeks since Elena left. The baby was due in a month and she had nothing ready. Everything she had bought was still at Stefan's. She had taken up residence in a small hotel about five miles from the hospital. It wasn't ideal and she was rather uncomfortable there, but she couldn't go back to Stefan's. Not because she was mad at him, but because she couldn't bear the thought of having to face him after she had hurt him so much. She felt terrible. She was supposed to be his friend, and now, she was hiding out, avoiding him because she felt too guilty to pick up the phone and apologize.

Stefan had called her for three days after she left. He wanted her to call or text to let him know that she was okay. But then he stopped. She hadn't heard another word from him. She wondered if she ever would. Maybe he had finally had enough.

Caroline had called too, though she stopped after a while as well seeing as how Elena wasn't returning her calls. Elena really had no one now. Her brother wouldn't be home for another month. Though, when she did talk to him, she neglected to tell him how sad and lonely she was. How she had hurt Stefan so badly she didn't think she would ever forgive herself. How he probably wouldn't either.

How could she have been so blind? Flowers, special dinners. The way he looked at her, took care of her. How could she have not known? His friendship meant the world to her. Maybe that was the problem. Her friendship with him had made it impossible for her to see anything more between them. Could she love him? Really, truly, love him in a romantic way?

It didn't matter. Love. Friendship. It was all gone. Ruined.

Elena went to bed early. She wasn't feeling well. Her stomach was hurting and was gradually getting worse. By 10 PM that night, the pain was so bad that she had to get up out of bed and try to walk around to relieve it. By 10:15, she felt pressure and then a puddle of something down around her feet.

Her water had broken.

Elena slowly and painfully got herself into her car. Panic started to take over. The baby wasn't due for another month. It wasn't time. Elena wasn't ready.

When she admitted herself to the hospital, they had taken her upstairs almost immediately. They hooked her up to the monitors and watched her . Elena closed her eyes and tried to focus on breathing. Pain. Fear. It all began to become the same thing. "Miss, is there anyone I can call for you?" she nurse asked, seeing Elena in such distress.

Elena felt her tears returning for the millionth time that night. Who was going to show up at the hospital at midnight? Who did she have anyway? But the thought of being there alone in the hospital scared her. She couldn't do this part alone. "Stefan" she said.

"Is he on your emergency contact form?" the nurse asked. Elena nodded. "Okay, I will go and make the call. The doctor will be in shortly" she said, moving swiftly out of the room.

Elena closed her eyes again. She didn't even know if Stefan would show up. She had made it perfectly clear that she didn't need his help. That she didn't need him. It wasn't his baby, either. He had no reason to show up. But she needed him to be there. She needed him because she was incredibly scared.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Just a warning. I used the F word. I feel that it needed to be used. I apologize if it offends anyone, as this story is rated T.**

**This chapter skips around a bit, but I wanted to get a lot covered. So, I hope it is not too confusing. There is also one flashback that is not dated, but it is in italics.**

**I hope you all like this chapter. I think it is my favorite so far for this story. I really am starting to "feel it" in terms of connecting with the characters. I'm excited.**

**Please leave a review and let me know what you think. Reading your reviews will be the highlight of my busy day :D Thank you all so much!**

Thirty six minutes. It had been that long since the nurse had left the room to call Stefan. Various other medical staff had been in and out of her room, monitoring her and checking everything related to her and the baby. Elena was trying to breathe in and out slowly to keep herself calm, but between the increasing intense pain and the increasing fear about the baby being born too early, it wasn't working too well. She read all the baby books. The baby needed another month to fully develop and grow.

The door opened and Elena was greeted by another doctor. She had met so many that she didn't know who was who anymore. "Elena, I'm Dr. James" she said, looking at her chart. "Dr. Fell is in an emergency surgery right now and I am scheduled for a delivery here shortly. We have someone on call coming in for you, but I just wanted to check on you and make sure things are progressing" she said.

Elena shook her head, tears falling down her cheeks. "It's too soon" she told her. "The baby isn't due for another month."

The doctor looked at her empathetically. "Another month would be ideal" she told her. "But sometimes babies decide to come a little early. We have a great team looking after you. We are going to do everything we can to make sure everything goes as planned" she informed her. "Let's take a look and see how far along you are" she said, pulling up a chair. Elena didn't care how far along she was. The baby was staying in there another month. "Five centimeters" she announced. "Shouldn't be long now" she added.

When the doctor left, Elena turned on her side, trying to ease even just a little bit of the pain. She knew it was going to hurt. She had just hoped that it wouldn't hurt this much. "Please be okay" Elena cried softly, placing her hand on her stomach. That was all she cared about.

Another half an hour went by. The door flew open once more, this time, with Stefan coming through it. He was wearing a pair of sweats and an old t-shirt. His hair was sticking up in every direction and his eyes were heavy from exhaustion and concern. But she didn't care. Because he was there. He took one look at her and wanted to collapse. She looked so fragile. So scared. "Elena" he breathed out, finishing those last few steps until he reached her.

Elena sat up some, carefully, and threw her arms around him, holding onto him as if her life depended on him. "They say that she's coming, but it's too soon. Tell them it's too soon" she cried, gripping him tighter.

Stefan had been briefed on what was going on with Elena before he entered her room. He knew it was a month early. He also knew that the baby was coming whether they wanted her to or not. Carefully, Stefan pulled out of her arms and grabbed her face, looking directly into her eyes. "I know it's too soon" Stefan told her. She seemed to relax a tiny bit at hearing this. "But she wants to come out now and we have to let her, okay?" he told her. "She's going to be fine. You're going to be fine" he said, and he wondered if he was trying to convince her or himself of this.

Her tears continued to flow, but she nodded. Then as if the realization just hit her, she grabbed onto his t-shirt. "You came" she cried softly. After the way she had treated him – yelled at him and walked out on him, he had showed up at the hospital.

Stefan grabbed her hands, releasing them from his shirt and holding onto them instead. "Of course I came" he told her, giving her a genuine, albeit, exhausted smile.

The door opened again, causing them both to jump slightly. "Miss Gilbert" the doctor announced, then stopped dead in his tracks when he saw who he was speaking too.

"Elijah?" Elena asked, vaguely remembering him from the charity benefit a while back. He had said that he worked with Stefan, so it should not have been too much of a surprise. What did surprise her was the icy, death threatening stare that Stefan was giving Elijah. "Stefan?" she nearly whispered. When he didn't respond, she touched his arm. Nothing.

Elijah seemed to compose himself as he grabbed her chart and looked over it. "Looks like you are almost ready to have a baby" he stated, keeping his eyes on her chart. "Let me take a look …" he began, walking towards Elena.

Stefan was up and moving towards him then and Elena gasped when Stefan shoved him back, pinning him against the wall. "Don't touch her" he growled, staring directly into his eyes to let him know that he was serious.

"I'll get security!" one of the nurses called out.

Elijah stopped her. "There will be no need for security" he told her. His eyes never left Stefan's.

"I want a different doctor" Stefan said, continuing to hold Elijah against the wall.

"Everyone is with other patients, Stefan" a different nurse said. "He's on call. He's the only one available right now." Stefan didn't like that.

Elijah narrowed his eyes. "I'm damn good at my job, Stefan" Elijah reminded him. "How about we put the personal shit between us aside and focus on Elena, huh?" he asked so only Stefan could hear him.

Stefan glared at him for another moment. "Stefan" came Elena's voice, quiet, yet strained with despair.

Stefan slowly and reluctantly let go of Elijah, stepping back and watching him carefully. But he returned to Elena's side. "Sorry" he told her quietly, grabbing her hand, and kissing it. Her eyes were full of worry and questions, but he just shook his head, telling her he would fill her in later.

Stefan couldn't look at Elijah examining Elena. It made his blood boil. Luckily, it didn't last long. "Well Elena" he said, noticing that she was in quite a bit of pain and discomfort. "You are well on your way" he announced. "Are you ready to have a baby?" he asked.

Elena felt her anxiety rise. In one month, she would have been ready. "It's too early" Elena told him, tears falling again. She hated that she was crying so much.

Elijah rolled his chair over to the opposite side of the bed that Stefan was sitting on. Stefan tensed, ready to jump over the bed and knock him down if necessary. Elijah grabbed Elena's hand though, getting her attention. "I deliver preemie babies quite regularly. In fact, they usually call me in when mothers go into labor early" he explained. "When the baby arrives, we are going to take her and do everything we need to to make sure everything is fully developed and working properly" he continued to explain. Elena's eyes were glued to him as she listened. Even Stefan caught himself listening intently. "The baby will probably have to stay in the hospital for a little while, depending on how she is doing." Elijah paused and looked over at Stefan. "You've got a good guy here with you to support you. We'll figure things out as they happen, okay?" he asked.

Elena nodded, wiping at her eyes. "Thank you" she mumbled.

Elijah smiled. "You're welcome, Elena" he said, standing back up. "See you up there" he told her before disappearing out the door.

Four more intense and painful hours passed. Stefan hadn't left her side once. He tried to distract her when he could and he hated the fact that there was nothing he could do really.

Another doctor had come in briefly to check on her, stating that she was ready to head up to delivery.

"Ready?" Stefan asked her, holding her hand tight.

Elena nodded. "I'm ready now" she said, taking a deep breath. "Are you going in with me?" she asked, her hopeful eyes meeting his uneasy ones.

"Do you want me in there?" he asked, swallowing past the lump in his throat. He really hadn't thought about that part.

"Only if you want to" she told him, though he knew that she was holding back how much she wanted him in there.

"Yes, then. Yes" he said, letting a small smile form.

Elena wrapped her arms around him and pulled him close. "Thank you" she whispered. No matter what, he was always the one person she could rely on. Always.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXX**

An hour later, the baby had arrived. At 6 pounds and 2 ounces, the doctor and nursing staff were pleased, though they did take her to be monitored. Mia. Elena had named her Mia.

Elena cried. She cried when she was born. She cried the first time she saw her. She cried when they took her. And Stefan held her hand – he hadn't let go – and kissed her hair, whispering to her that everything was going to be okay.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

A soft knock at the door caught Elena's attention later that day. She looked up from where she was sitting with the baby to find Caroline holding a small bunch of balloons, one with Mia's name on it and a pink teddy bear. Despite Elena having ignored her for weeks, Caroline was smiling warmly as she made her way inside. Elena felt a sense of relief. She had figured that Caroline would be mad at her. "Hi" Caroline gushed, setting her items down and kneeling next to Elena to look at the baby. Caroline moved the blanket a little so she could get a better look at the baby's face. She smiled brightly. "Stefan wasn't lying when he said she was the most beautiful baby in the world" she said softly.

Elena felt tears fall upon hearing that. She really was the most beautiful baby. Happy tears. "She is, isn't she?" Elena asked. "Do you want to hold her?" she asked.

Caroline's face lit up. "Of course I do" she said, her voice filled with excitement.

Elena got up and let Caroline sit down before handing her the baby. "The nurse will be in to get her soon. You came at just the right time."

"Stefan said they were monitoring her pretty closely" Caroline stated. "But that she is breathing just fine on her own and everything looks really good. Heart rate. Lungs … all fine" she added.

Elena sat on her bed. So Stefan had been relaying all of this information. He hadn't even been in to see the baby since she was born. Maybe that was best, though. "She's doing very well, but they want to keep her for about a week to make sure" Elena said.

Caroline nodded, smiling down at the baby. "She looks so much like you" Caroline said, lifting her head to smile at Elena. "How are you doing?" she asked.

Elena shrugged. "As well as can be expected, I guess" she answered. Caroline frowned, prompting Elena to elaborate. "I just don't have a lot of things figured out that probably should have been figured out a long time ago" Elena answered.

Caroline sat quiet for a moment, rocking the baby. "He loves her, you know" she said, continuing to rock the baby. Elena stared at her curiously. Stefan hadn't been in to see the baby once that she knew about. "He comes down and checks on her every hour when she's in the nursery. And then he calls me and tells me everything" she smiled, remembering all the phone calls. "Like how she made a spit bubble or held his finger" she elaborated.

This was surprising news to Elena. "I didn't know" Elena said quietly. "I really haven't seen him since she was born."

"He's probably just trying to give you some space" Caroline answered. Elena nodded. Maybe. "I'm really sorry about Damon. It wasn't his place to say anything to you about Stefan." She had been furious with him. "Stefan won't talk to him. He thought he had lost you because of it."

"Damon just told me what Stefan should have told me a long time ago" Elena replied, looking down at her hands.

"So be mad at me too, then" Caroline told her. "I knew how he felt about you too" she said, grabbing Mia's little hand.

"He told you?" Elena asked, looking up at Caroline.

Caroline laughed. "No, he didn't" she told her. "But how many guys do you know that will just bring you a flower for the hell of it? Or spend all day with you shopping and seeing a chick flick? The way he followed you around all the time. The way his eyes lit up whenever you walked into a room. I have known for a long time" Caroline said.

Elena sighed heavily. "I guess I'm an idiot then" she said, playing with her hands.

Caroline smiled at her. "A little bit, yeah" she smirked. It got a little smile out of Elena though. "He loves you both" she stated, smiling down at Mia. "If you don't feel the same way, fine. But if you don't give yourself the opportunity to find out if you do or not, well, there's a possibility that you're throwing away something really amazing."

Elena wiped at a tear before it fell to her chin. "I don't want to lose what we already have" she said. The thought had been nagging at her over the past few weeks.

"Maybe you would gain something so much better" Caroline said, leaving her with those words as the nurse walked in to take Mia back to the nursery.

Caroline said goodbye and Elena sat in the room by herself, needing the time to think or to not think, she wasn't sure.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

Everything was okay – sort of. The baby had been in the hospital for a week. Stefan had gotten Elena a hotel room right across the street from the hospital so she could spend as much time as she wanted with the baby while she was still being looked after by the nursing staff. She was grateful and she had thanked him, though her main concern was the baby. Mia. Elena had chosen it because it was pretty, just like her daughter. She had been thinking about other names, but seeing her precious little features just made Elena realize that Mia was the perfect name for her.

Stefan was working that entire week, though every hour he would meander down and check on the baby. Mia. He had to start getting used to calling her that. He too thought it was the perfect name for such a perfect baby. Stefan nagged the nurses when her blanket had fallen away from her slightly or when he noticed that her hat was coming off. They usually shooed him out of the room, though they smiled at how protective he was over this tiny little baby.

Stefan began to check in on Elena at least once a day too, either at the hospital or at the hotel. They kept their conversation light. Updates on Mia. Food. The weather. Nothing whatsoever about how he loved her or how she had screamed at him and walked out. Both knew the other was thinking about it, but neither of them brought it up that entire week.

**XXXXXXXXXXXC**

Elena was standing over Mia when Stefan came down to check up on her. She was smiling, holding Mia's little hand. "They say she can leave the hospital tomorrow morning" Elena said, sensing Stefan behind her. It had almost made her laugh when the doctors had said that Elena could take her home. Because she didn't have a home. She had a hotel. It made her want to cry, actually. She had a baby and no home for her.

Elena didn't want to ask it, so Stefan answered for her. "Those rooms at my place are still yours" he told her. Elena knew this. It made her angry though, that he was still being so supportive, so generous, after she had been such a bitch to him. "You would both be more comfortable there than at the hotel" he pointed out.

"Why are you doing this?" she whispered, her back still turned to him.

Stefan let her question hang in the air for a minute before answering. "You know why" he said quietly. When she didn't reply, he assumed she was done with the discussion. "I'm going to head home for the evening. I'll pick you up tomorrow morning" he told her, turning around and reaching for the door.

"Stefan" she said, turning around to look at him. He turned to look at her as well. He saw that she was silently crying and wondered how long she had been crying for. "It's not that I don't love you …" she said sadly.

Stefan nodded. "I know" he told her. He knew. Loving someone and being in love with someone were different. He knew that. "Try and get some sleep" he added, closing the door behind him.

Elena watched the door close before turning back to watch Mia sleep.

**XXXXXXXXXXXX**

Stefan slammed his car door shut, in no mood to see Damon perched on his front porch waiting for him. He hadn't talked to Damon in weeks. Not since Damon told Elena. Damon hadn't made much of an effort to talk to him, either. "I don't want you here" Stefan said angrily, pushing past his brother.

"I'm sorry" Damon said, irritated with the way his brother was treating him. "Someone had to tell her!" he yelled.

Stefan whipped around, pointing his finger. "You're not sorry!" Stefan accused. "You got exactly what you wanted. To watch people get hurt" he spat at him. "She was alone, Damon. Alone. What if she hadn't been able to get herself to the hospital, huh?" he asked angrily.

"Why is it your responsibility?" Damon spat back at him. "It's not your kid!" he yelled even louder. "Do you not get that? She had sex with someone else! Not you, Stefan! Now she has a baby that will never be yours!"

It affected him more than he had hoped. So much so that Stefan drew his fist back and punched Damon right in his jaw. When Damon went down, Stefan stood over him, breathing hard and about ready to cry. "You think I don't know that?" he asked angrily. "You think I don't realize that some other guy touched her? Used her and then just left her?" he asked, nearly choking on his words as the disgust of it all caught in his throat. Damon stared up at his brother wide-eyed. He couldn't remember the last time he saw Stefan cry. "I love her, Damon. I f*cking love her!" he yelled, letting his outraged tears fall freely now. It was just too much. All of it.

Damon stared at him for another moment. "Jesus, Stefan" he breathed out. "I didn't … I just … you really feel this way about her?" he asked.

Stefan swallowed, his throat tight. "I love her more than I love anyone" he said, backing up slowly before turning and going inside.

Damon stayed where he was on the ground in pure shock and denial. He could never be with someone who had some other guy's kid. What would be the point? And then he realized, maybe that was why he and Stefan never got along. Stefan always took care of what wasn't his. Elena being the perfect example.

**XXXXXXXXXXXX**

Stefan's thoughts were working overtime as he drove to the hospital. The memory of punching his brother was at the forefront of his mind. He had only ever punched one other person in is life. He had been suspended for it.

_Grade 10. A new student had taken advantage of Elena and her generosity to befriend him. She did this with everyone. But the jerk had backed Elena into a wall one morning before class started, making suggestive comments to her about what he would like to do to her at the party that weekend. _

_It had upset Elena and Stefan could tell that something was bothering her all day. By lunch, he had gotten it out of her. He was enraged. Enraged that someone could say such things to Elena. Enraged that someone would be thinking about Elena like that. _

_Stefan had found the jerk tossing a football around with some of the guys at lunch, laughing and doing whatever else that Stefan didn't care about. The guy smiled when he saw Stefan, clearly having been trying to make him jealous all week by playing the helpless new student who needed all of Elena's attention. Stefan hadn't bought any of it though and he was all too happy to punch the guy in his face, sending him to the ground._

_Stefan had been suspended for a week, not expelled only because Elena had come to his defense, claiming that Stefan was only trying to protect her and that she promised he would never do it again. He promised her he wouldn't, though he knew he would if he felt like he had to._

_She was mad at him for two whole days before she talked with him about it. He had a way of charming her though, getting her to forget all about being mad. That's what happened when you knew someone so well._

Stefan arrived right at 8 AM to find Elena all packed and waiting. She turned to see him standing there, carrying the car seat he had bought for her. "I had this thing all checked for safety and stuff" he said nervously.

Elena nodded. "Thank you" she told him. He set the car seat down and watched Elena set the baby inside. Mia. He had to get used to calling her that. "I might need to go to the store … to get some things she will need" Elena added. "And then to the hotel so I can get my stuff."

"Let's get you two settled and I'll take care of all of that" he told her. She looked at him, blinked once, and then looked away.

The ride home was quiet. Stefan took every turn with precision, his eyes scanning the road constantly to make sure no one was going to run into his car. He glanced in the rearview mirror and saw Mia's eyes closed, her head leaning to the side as she slept. He glanced to his side and saw Elena staring out the window. He wanted to say something, but he decided against it.

When they finally did arrive back at his place, he opened the door for Elena, helping her out before going to the back and getting the car seat. He carried it inside. Elena didn't seem to mind. "Come on" he said once they were inside. She followed him upstairs.

When they turned into the room at the far end of the hall, Elena stopped abruptly. She was enclosed in a pastel pink room with pastel butterflies painted on the walls. Greens, yellows, blues, and purples. A white crib and a matching changing table and dresser sat on one side of the room and a padded wooden rocking chair sat on the other. She was in complete awe but also completely shocked that he would do this.

Stefan set Mia down and turned to find Elena staring intently at the crib. "I saw it circled in one of the catalogues you left in the living room" he spoke softly. "If it isn't the one you want, I can take to back and get a different one" he told her. He had spent all week getting the room ready.

Elena shook her head, her eyes beginning to tear up. "It's perfect" she said.

Stefan walked over to the dresser and opened a few of the drawers. "I know you didn't have any clothes that would fit her since she came a little early" Stefan said, glancing down at the small baby. "So Caroline helped me pick out some clothes" he stated. Then he walked over to the closet. "All her regular clothes and hanging up in here. And diapers are down here" he said, pointing at three huge packages of them. "All preemie size for right now" he added. He walked over to the changing table and opened a drawer. "Powders, lotions, wipes" he listed off, shutting it. "Bath stuff in the bathroom for her. Medical supplies too. Bottles down in the kitchen" he said, walking back to the closet. "Diaper bag" he said, pulling it out. He opened the other side of the closet. "Stroller" he pointed out, showing her. He finally looked at Elena – really looked at her since he began showing her everything he had bought for the baby. She was crying. Not sobbing, but close to it. "Did I forget something?" he asked, slightly panicked. "Because I can go out and get it right now" he said, looking towards the door.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she asked, her brown eyes filled with big tears as she stared at him.

He stood there uncomfortably for a moment, gaining the ability to speak. "Because not knowing at all was better than knowing you didn't feel the same way" he answered quietly.

She stared at him for a moment, her tears still ever present. "Why did you do all of this?" she asked, choosing to ignore having to discuss his reasoning for not telling her about his feelings. "I was horrible to you. I yelled at you. I … " she began, only to find herself at a loss for words now. She took a deep breath. "You should hate me."

Stefan remained where he was, across the room from her, but he stared at her so intently that she felt as if he was standing right in front of her. "You could never do or say anything that would make me hate you" he told her, his voice steady and sincere. "I love you. And I don't expect you to feel the same way" he continued. "I did all of this because I want her to have what she deserves. What you both deserve. You shouldn't have to worry about anything except loving her" he finished, feeling his own eyes threatening to spill with tears. God, he loved her so damn much. It terrified him, knowing that he could lose her.

Elena closed the gap between them, her arms finding their familiar place around his neck as she hugged him tight. "I don't want to hurt you" she cried softly. It was the last thing she would ever want to do. "But I am so confused right now" she told him honestly.

Stefan hugged her back. "I know" he told her, resting his head against hers. "I don't want you to think about anything but the baby right now" he told her.

She sighed. "Where did you learn to be so loving and caring?" she asked, sniffling into his shirt.

Stefan smiled. "Some little brown-eyed, brown-haired girl in Mrs. Vaughn's Kindergarten class showed me what it was all about" he whispered, remembering that exact moment when she had smiled at him, when she had shared her crayons with him, when she had made the biggest imprint on his heart that anyone ever would.

Elena pulled away from him, a tired, yet visible smile playing on her lips. "I shared my crayons with you" she remembered.

Stefan smiled. "And now I'm sharing what I have to offer, with you" he replied.

Her eyes closed as she leaned into him again, holding onto his shirt. "You've always been the one person I can count on" she whispered.

He held her tighter. "That won't ever change."

**A/N: Has Stefan ruined all other men for you yet? **


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Total cuteness alert. Do not read if you cannot handle it ;)**

**Thank you for all the reviews and tweets! I'm glad so many of you gave this story a chance because you are about to be rewarded :D I have always been Stefan/Elena. That will never change.**

Stefan had heard Elena get up six times since he had gone to bed. He hadn't really slept. She wasn't loud and even the faint crying of the baby in the distance wasn't bothersome. He just flat out couldn't sleep. He felt bad because if he couldn't sleep, maybe he should have been the one up caring for Mia so that Elena could sleep. He just didn't know where his place was in all of this. Maybe it was just best if he remained as invisible as possible until Elena told him.

At 6 AM, he got up, tired of just lying in bed. He had to leave later that morning to go into work for a few hours so that he didn't fall completely behind. As he walked down the hall, he noticed that Mia's door was slightly ajar. He pushed it open and looked around, finding that Elena was not in there. He decided to see if the baby was sleeping, or rather, to make sure that she was still breathing. She was. In fact, she was wide awake, staring up at her surroundings and finally staring intently at him when he appeared.

He smiled down at her and watched her for a moment until she began to get fussy. Quickly he switched off the baby monitor so as to not wake Elena up. Then, he picked her up carefully, it being his first time holding her. She settled down, glad to be in someone's arms again. He carefully set her down on the changing table and went to work on her diaper. It was wet. He would have been fussy too if he had peed himself and then had to try and sleep in it.

Stefan grabbed the wipes and baby powder, doing exactly what the nurse had taught him. It was easier than he thought. He grabbed a new onesie and got her dressed before picking her back up. "Better?" he asked. She just stared at him. "Are you hungry?" he asked. Then he felt stupid because of course she wasn't going to answer him.

Stefan took her downstairs and grabbed a bottle out of the fridge. He heated it up, tested it, and brought it back up to the nursery with them. He sat down in the rocking chair that he had bought for Elena. Carefully, he shifted her in his arms and gave her the bottle, sighing a sigh of relief when she started to eat. He smiled. He wasn't half bad at this.

Slowly, he rocked back and forth in the chair, never taking his eyes off of her. She was beautiful. He had said it before. He would say it again. She held his finger as she ate, looking up at him. She seemed to be studying him, trying to figure him out. He was doing the same with her.

As the minutes passed, he felt the heaviness in his chest begin to lift. He loved this little girl. Maybe he wasn't supposed to, but he did. He couldn't explain why. But he did. "You have the best mommy in the world" he told her, smiling as he did. "She's the most beautiful, loving and understanding person I have ever met. And you're going to love her" he added.

His focus was disrupted when he saw something move by the door. It was Elena leaning against the doorframe, watching them. Him. He had the "deer in the headlights" look when he saw her, looking at him, holding her baby. He instantly became scared that she was angry at him for taking the baby out of her crib. Her expression was unreadable though, so the fear continued to run through his mind. Finally he couldn't take it anymore. "I just came in to check on her and she was awake" he said quickly. "I thought she might be hungry" he added just as quickly. Elena nodded. "Do you want to take over?" he asked, motioning for her to take Mia from him.

Elena smiled and he felt relief wash over him. "You look like you're doing a pretty good job" she said, taking a few steps into the room. She sat down on the footrest in front of Stefan and peered down at Mia. "She looks content" Elena said, stroking her cheek.

"She looks just like you. Beautiful" Stefan said quietly. Elena looked up at him, somewhat caught off guard by his comment. He instantly regretted it. "I'm sorry" he said quickly.

Elena shook her head. "Don't be" she told him, looking into his nervous eyes. "I want you to tell me what you're thinking and how you're feeling" she told him.

Stefan felt even more nervous now, but he agreed. "Is it okay, if I help, with her?" he asked. Because he wanted to.

Elena nodded her head yes. "Of course. Whenever you want" she told him. There was a short pause before she continued. "When are you going to work?" she asked, changing the pace of their conversation.

"I need to leave in about an hour" he told her. He wasn't looking forward to it. He would rather stay home all day with Elena and Mia.

"Can you watch her while I take a quick shower?" she asked. She had wanted one since she arrived home the day before.

"Yeah, take your time" he told her, smiling as he looked down at Mia.

"Thank you" Elena said, bending down to kiss Mia's head. She was incredibly interested in her bottle and Stefan at the moment. When Elena looked up, she saw Stefan staring at her intently and she swore that he was going to kiss her. He didn't though. "I'll be right out" she said, a tad disappointed as she stood up and left the room.

Stefan sighed as he looked back down at the now sleepy baby in his arms. "I should just kiss her" he said, leaning his head back. Being the polite, sensitive best friend was getting him nowhere. Not that he needed to go somewhere, but he liked the idea of moving forward. He just had to be careful not to move backwards and scare her off again.

**XXXXXXXXXXXX**

Elena had collected Mia half an hour later, having showered and dried her hair. She was dead tired, but the shower had helped. She brought Mia downstairs and set her in her bouncer in the living room, having full view of her from where she stood in the kitchen.

Stefan was down shortly after, his hair still slightly wet from his shower. He looked so tired. "She kept you up" Elena said, frowning. He had to go to work now while being tired.

Stefan smiled. "No. I just couldn't sleep" he said. "Is that coffee?" he asked. Surely he was going to need it.

"Yeah. I figured you might want some to take with you" she said, handing him his travel mug. "Do you want breakfast?" she asked. She could whip something up real fast.

"No thanks. I'll probably grab a muffin on the way" he told her. "Do you need me to stop and get anything on my way home?" he asked. "I'm only going in for half the day, so I should be home around one" he added.

Elena thought about it for a moment. "I think we're good" she said, smiling at Mia. "She loves that bouncer, by the way" Elena added. "Thank you for that."

Stefan smiled as well. "Glad she likes it and you're welcome" he said. "Hey, have you talked to Jeremy?" he asked.

Elena set her glass of juice down. "Yeah. He wanted to come home early, but I told him to finish his trip" Elena mentioned. Stefan looked at her for a moment, wondering how much more selfless she could get. "Told him you were taking good care of us" she added, a knowing smile forming.

Stefan returned her smile. He was taking care of them. He liked doing it, too. "And Jenna?" he asked, taking a sip from his coffee.

He watched Elena's smile fade and then she turned around to fiddle with the toaster. "You sure you don't want toast or something?" she asked, avoiding his question.

"Elena" he said, waiting for her to explain herself. When she didn't he stood and walked over to her. "Hey" he said, placing his hands on her shoulders and rubbing them lightly. "What's wrong?" he asked, resting his chin on her shoulder.

Elena wiped at a tear. Damn. She was getting emotional again. She hated that, though Stefan had seen her cry before. "I never told her I was pregnant" she said, the feeling of shame and guilt washing over her all over again. For eight months, she had avoided telling her aunt anything.

Stefan sighed, moving his hands from her shoulders and wrapping his arms around her waist. Elena stiffened momentarily. It was the first time anyone had hugged her since she had the baby. He noticed her reaction, but he didn't let go. "Why not?" he asked.

Elena sighed an exacerbated, shaky sigh. "I didn't want her to be disappointed in me" Elena said quietly. "She was so proud of me for graduating and getting the teaching job. I just couldn't stand to tell her that I got drunk one night …" she began, realizing what she just said, and then stopped. She opened her mouth to take back what she had just revealed, but decided against it. He had already reacted, his arms tightening around her, his jaw clenching.

"You'd been drinking" Stefan clarified, his arms finally loosening around her before falling to his sides. He took a step away from her, allowing her to turn around. "So this … guy. He. He took advantage of you" Stefan stated. The anger was evident in his eyes.

Elena shook her head, feeling another damn tear roll down her cheek. "It wasn't like that, Stefan. We had both been drinking" she told him, as if that made this situation any better. It didn't for him. She saw it in his eyes. The guilt, that he hadn't been there to stop her from making a stupid mistake.

He stared at her for a long moment before taking another step back. All of the fear about this man coming back, wanting Mia and Elena, for that matter, clouded his thinking. "I'm going to be late" he said, turning to grab his briefcase and his coffee. He glanced at Mia who was sound asleep now. A smile crept across his lips. He didn't want to go to work if it meant he got to stay home and watch her all day.

"Stefan?" Elena asked as he began to leave the kitchen. He stopped, though he didn't turn to look at her. "Please don't be mad, about something you can't change. It was a stupid mistake." Her words were full of regret, he noticed.

His hands tightened around his coffee mug and his briefcase, but he said nothing. He just left.

Elena leaned against the counter and closed her eyes to prevent anymore tears from falling. She hated that he was so focused on the past – on what he hadn't been able to do. It was so like him to take her problems and make them his fault. She hated it.

She took a deep breath in and let it out before moving from the counter and putting the juice away. Busy. She needed to stay busy. She peered over at Mia who was still asleep. Sleep sounded good right now.

The front door opened again, distracting her. Stefan was walking back towards her with a look that told her he was on a mission. What, she didn't know. "Did you forget something?" Elena asked.

Stefan continued walking into the kitchen. "Yes" he said, his hands reaching out to cup her face as he pulled her to him, kissing her with all the frustration that he had built up minutes earlier. Seconds. Minutes. He wasn't sure, but she hadn't pushed him away. When he did finally end their kiss, he looked down at her, breathing hard. Her eyes were wide, full of shock. "She's no mistake" he whispered. "She's perfect. Beautiful. Amazing" he told her, locking eyes with Elena. "Just like you" he added.

Elena's wide and shocked eyes seemed to soften upon hearing his words. "Don't say things like that" she whispered.

His eyes narrowed, but he didn't let her go. "Why not?" he asked.

She felt a little light-headed and was thankful that he was holding on to her. Her focus left his eyes and focused on his lips. Those lips that had kissed her head so many times were now the lips that had just set her own on fire. "Because" she whispered, reaching up to kiss him.

It wasn't needy like his had been, but it definitely was filled with want. His hands left her face and his arms wrapped themsleves around her, pulling her closer. She was lost in him – something that only he could probably make her feel.

Only the baby crying could break them apart, and it did. "I … umm" she stumbled for her words, backing up and feeling his arms drop away from her. "You should go. You're going to be late" Elena said uneasily, as she refused to look at him and went to grab Mia.

He stood where he was, his brain working quickly as he was processing what had just happened. He had kissed Elena. Really kissed her. And she had kissed him too. Elena came back into the kitchen with Mia whose crocodile tears were now subsiding. Elena looked at Stefan nervously, wondering why he was still there. He stared at her for a moment before walking forward. She waited anxiously until he stood in front of her again. "Be good for your mommy" he smiled, kissing the top of Mia's head. His face lingered close to Elena's for a moment. "We'll talk when I get home?" he asked nervously. Elena swallowed before nodding her head. "Okay" he smiled shyly, placing a soft, gentle kiss on her lips. "Bye" he whispered.

"Bye" she whispered back. She watched him leave, having to sit down so she didn't collapse from all the emotions running through her body. Happiness. Fear. Excitement. Hope. It was all too much.

**XXXXXXXXXXXX**

"You kissed?" Caroline asked, her face beaming with excitement as she sat with Elena on the couch. Mia was asleep in her bouncer a few feet away. "I want details!" she squealed quietly.

Elena blushed. "There's nothing to tell. It just sort of … happened" she explained.

"Well, did you like it?" Caroline asked, pressing for details. Damon was an amazing kisser. She could only imagine that Stefan was too.

Elena rolled her eyes. "Of course I did" she told her. She looked down at her hands. Liking it was not the problem. Wondering what it meant, was.

"God, if just his kiss has you blushing, imagine what the sex would be like" Caroline grinned, taking a sip of her water. That, too, was amazing with Damon.

"Oh I know what the sex is like" Elena mumbled before she could stop herself.

Caroline's eyes nearly bugged out as she choked on her water. "You?" she asked, her mouth dropping open. "And Stefan?" she asked again. She couldn't believe it. "He never told me you two hooked up, even when I asked him" she said, mulling over their conversation again.

Elena blushed shyly. "Stefan never told anyone" she answered. She didn't even have to ask him not to. He was just that kind of guy. One in a million who wouldn't brag about his latest conquest in the bedroom.

"When? Where? Why?" Caroline asked, giving Elena her full attention.

Elena was still blushing and hid a pillow in front of her face. "Jeez, Caroline. It was forever ago" she answered. "I asked him to sleep with me on my 18th birthday so I could get it over with before I started college. We went out to my parent's lake house" she explained.

Caroline was digesting all of this. "So, it was … umm … good?" Caroline asked, finding herself struggling with words now because she was just so excited.

Elena was pretty sure that she was going to die from embarrassment. She looked over at Mia to make sure she was still asleep. "It was amazing. He was amazing" Elena said, a hint of a smile appearing. "He definitely made it all about me" she added.

Caroline looked at her now with disgust. "I hate you" she told Elena. "You are so lucky" she sighed.

Elena sighed too. She was incredibly lucky, in more ways than one.

**XXXXXXXXXXXX**

Elijah strolled into Stefan's office, his scrubs indicating that he was on duty today. Stefan didn't even acknowledge him. "How are Elena and Mia doing?" he asked.

Stefan cringed at his use of their names. "Not your concern" Stefan said, signing off on a document and then another.

"I am their doctor, you know" Elijah reminded him.

"No, Dr. Fell is their doctor" Stefan corrected. "I'll take them to another hospital" he said, his jealousy making its ugly appearance.

Elijah sighed. "Is this how it is going to be between us now?" Elijah asked.

"Yep" Stefan answered, his tone clipped.

"Okay then" Elijah nodded. He turned to leave, but stopped at the door before exiting. "She left me, you know" he said, his voice quieter. "Katherine found a younger guy, a lawyer, who makes more money than me" he said, his light chuckle almost painful. Stefan looked up from his papers slowly. "I'd like to punch the guy. So, I guess I know how you felt when she left you for me" he said, a hint of regret in his voice. But he composed himself quickly. "You deserve to be happy, Stefan. I hope you find it with them." With that, he continued out of the office.

Stefan frowned at that last comment. He didn't want Elijah's support. Not anymore.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Yes, Auntie Caroline loves you" Caroline said, smiling brightly as she did her pronounced baby talk with Mia. "She's so beautiful. If you wake up one day and can't find her, it is because I have stolen her." Elena looked at her with alarm. "I'm kidding, Elena" Caroline smiled. Though, really she wasn't. "So, how is it going, living here with Stefan?" she asked curiously.

Elena decided to avoid talking further about the kissing that went on that morning. "Good" she said. "I found him with Mia this morning. Feeding her" Elena mentioned quietly.

Caroline smiled. "He would make a wonderful father" she hinted. "He loves you. He obviously loves her …" she trailed off.

"And I'm the idiot not jumping at the chance to be with a man who would take care of us for the rest of our lives" Elena said sourly. She knew all this. She thought about it constantly since she had learned of his feelings for her.

Caroline frowned. "What are you so afraid of, Elena?" Caroline asked, getting straight to the point.

Elena laughed bitterly. What wasn't she afraid of? "That I'm holding him back. That he feels obligated to be with me. That this arrangement will ruin our friendship. That he won't love her as much as he would his own child. That he won't ever be honest with me and will choose to be miserable inside as long as Mia and I are being taken care of …" she listed off.

"You know what I would do?" Caroline asked. Elena shook her head. "I would talk to Stefan about your concerns" she told her. "He deserves to know how you feel." She laid Mia across her lap and rubbed her tummy. "Then I would have … wait, when are you allowed to have sex again?" she asked.

Elena flushed at her question. "Six weeks. If the doctor gives me the okay." She suddenly felt uncomfortable discussing this.

Caroline shrugged. "It's been what, six years since the last time you two did it?" she asked, a grin forming. "He can wait six more weeks."

Elena was mortified, especially when she heard the front door open. "I'm home" Stefan called, having seen Caroline's car in the driveway.

"Look how bright red you are" Caroline teased Elena. "He's going to wonder what we've been talking about …" she added mischievously.

"Don't!" Elena warned. Caroline wouldn't, would she?

"Hey" Stefan said, dropping his briefcase. His face instantly brightened when he saw Caroline with Mia. "Hey little one" he said, walking across the room and carefully picking up Mia. He kissed her cheek before tucking her into his arm.

"Umm, did it look like I was done holding her?" Caroline asked, though her voice was teasing.

Stefan patted Mia's back and kissed her head again. "You've had her the past few hours. I haven't seen her since this morning" Stefan said, building his argument. Stefan sat down in a chair across from Elena and Caroline. He laid her in is lap and grabbed her hands, kissing them. "Why is your face so red?" Stefan asked, looking up at Elena. She seemed to blush even more.

Caroline bumped Elena and smiled. "We were just talking. About you" Caroline answered. Elena glared at her and Stefan smiled.

"Did you have lunch yet?" Elena asked, changing the subject. Stefan shook his head no. "I'll go and make something" she said, preparing to get up.

"That's alright, I've got it" he said, standing with Mia and setting her upright in his arms. "Care, are you hungry?" he asked. She nodded as he disappeared into the kitchen.

"He cooks, cares for the baby, AND is that hot?" Caroline gushed. "I'm officially jealous" she smiled.

"He's great" Elena agreed, staring towards the kitchen where she could hear him working away on lunch. "Really great" she smiled.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Caroline went home a few hours later after enjoying lunch with them. Elena had gone upstairs to change Mia and then put her down for a nap. When she did return downstairs, she had the baby monitor with her. Stefan was waiting on the couch. "You wanted to talk" she said, sitting down, careful to leave enough space between them on the couch.

"I think we should" he said, feeling slightly uncomfortable. He sighed. "This is ridiculous, Elena" he said, looking up at her. "This is us" he reminded her, tired of feeling so uncomfortable around her.

"We've changed" she argued, her voice soft and neutral though.

"We've grown up" he countered.

"You kissed me this morning" she reminded him, slightly raising her voice.

"I'd kiss you every morning" he stated, his eyes full of amusement.

She opened her mouth to say something, then closed it. "Do you really want a relationship with me? And Mia?" she asked, her lips in a tight line as she awaited the answer.

He didn't even blink. "Yes." He searched her eyes for a moment before asking his own question. "Do you want to be with me, too?" he asked her.

Elena did blink. "I'm sorry" she answered. She wasn't thinking, just letting the words fall out of her mouth. So she could be honest with him and not overthink it. "I don't know."

Stefan didn't feel hurt, for some odd reason. "I just want to know that you haven't completely ruled us out" he replied. He still had hope.

She looked at him curiously. "No, I haven't" she answered.

Stefan smiled. "Well, maybe I can make you fall in love with me then" he told her.

**A/N: So, what did you think?**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Hope you all enjoy this chapter! As always, thank you and let me know what you think!**

Elena blinked. That was the only thing that she could do upon hearing this. Hearing him tell her that he wanted to make her fall in love with him. Finally, she got her thoughts together. He was waiting expectantly for her to say something. "That's ridiculous" she told him. It wasn't quite the answer he was looking for. "Why would you want to focus so much time and energy on changing the way I feel about you?" she asked, tilting her head to the side lazily as she looked at him. "Surely, you have far better things to concentrate on" she reminded him. "Like work."

"Or Mia. Or you" he added. She blinked at him again. "And I really don't think I have to change the way you feel about me. I just think I have to show you that we can be more than friends" he added.

Elena rubbed her forehead. She was getting anxious. Frustrated maybe. No. She was tired. "Stefan" she breathed out finally. "I have a baby. I'm wearing sweats and I haven't brushed my hair all day. I have baby puke on me" she enlightened him. "Why on earth would you want to be with me?" she asked him. That was still giving her trouble. She wasn't the same girl he had fallen in love with so many years ago.

Stefan simply smiled. "I love your baby" he told her, his eyes lightening up as he said this. Her eyes just got wider upon hearing him say this. "She's beautiful and taking care of her is quite possibly the coolest thing I have ever done" he explained. "You could not shower for a week, have dirt in your hair and under your nails and smell like a sewer and I'd still love you" he said, so sincerely. He stepped closer to her, grabbing her hands and lacing his fingers through hers. "I like these sweats on you" he added. "Your hair looks a lot better than you claim and Mia will probably puke on me in the near future too" he finished. This made her smile. "All I want is for you to give us a chance. We don't have to rush anything. Because I'm not going anywhere" he added, bringing one of her hands up to his lips and placing a gentle kiss on the back of her hand. "Even if we don't work out, I'm still not going anywhere" he added, his tone and his eyes serious.

She watched as he let go of her hand, and then the other one. "I need to focus on her, for right now" she said, her voice a lot quieter than she had meant it to be.

"I know" he nodded, smiling softly as he did. "You should get some sleep" he added.

Elena nodded, grabbing his hand again with both of hers. "I just need you to be patient with me" she told him, continuing to stare at his hand. She felt a choked sob threatening to escape, so she took a deep, calming breath to compose herself. "I just … I have no one, right now, Stefan" she said, the fear and the anxiety evident in her voice. Jeremy was thousands of miles away. Jenna had no idea there was a baby. And her parents were gone. "Except you" she said, finally lifting her face to look up at him. "I don't want jeopardize that" she said, exhaling slowly. "So, I need you to be patient" she repeated once again.

Stefan squeezed her hand reassuringly. He could understand her fear, even if he knew he wasn't going anywhere, no matter what. "I can be patient" he assured her. He pulled her into a tight embrace, wrapping his arms around her securely. "I'm not going anywhere. Jeremy will be back soon. And you should call Jenna" he added softly, kissing her hair before pulling away from her. He brushed a messy strand of hair out of her face and smiled. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight" she said as she watched him leave. She leaned back against the couch and closed her eyes.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Elena wanted to die. No, she was going to die. And if she had to hear Caroline calling to her with her perky, upbeat tone one more time, she was going to die too. "Come on! You're almost there!" Caroline yelled to her from the top of the hill.

Elena took a giant breath and trudged her way up that stupid hill. Once she was up it and sweating more than she had ever seen herself sweat before, she glared at her friend. "I … told … you … an easy … run …" Elena huffed, bending over to fight the nausea that was making its presence.

"You said you wanted to get back into shape" Caroline shrugged, opening her water bottle and taking a sip. She was not sweating and not one hair on her head was out of place. Elena was officially jealous. Yes, she had called Caroline and asked her to go running with her once Stefan had returned home and eagerly agreed to watch Mia. However, Elena was expecting a leisurely jog through the park, on flat ground. Not an intense run across the city and up every entire freaking hill possible. But she had agreed anyway, because she knew she needed to do this. "What's with you wanting to get back into shape all of a sudden?" Caroline asked. "You just gave birth two weeks ago" she reminded.

Stefan hadn't exactly been thrilled that she was going running so soon, but she assured him that she was ready. She just didn't think her workout would be this hard. Maybe it wasn't. Maybe she was just extremely out of shape. "I know when I gave birth!" she snapped. Caroline raised an eyebrow at her. "I'm sorry. I'm just in a lot of pain right now" she said, standing straight and walking around a bit while holding her side. "I just want to get my body back, that's all" she informed Caroline.

"Okay, but why are you so eager?" she asked. "Why not start out with walking or swim aerobics?" Caroline suggested.

Elena took a swig of her water and wiped at her mouth. Then she sighed, clearly frustrated. "Because. So Stefan doesn't have to stare at … this" she said, waving her hand at herself in disappointment.

Caroline frowned. "What are you talking about?" she asked. "You look great. Especially for having a baby two weeks ago."

Elena brushed her comment off. "I don't feel attractive" Elena stated without hesitancy. "And I don't want Stefan to have to put up with how unattractive I am just because he's in love with me" she added, though her voice began to fail her with the last sentence.

"Elena" Caroline said in that empathetic, concerned way that she talked to people with sometimes. "You're beautiful. And I hardly doubt that Stefan would want you out here killing yourself just to try and please him" she told her.

"It doesn't matter what anyone else thinks, Caroline. I don't feel attractive. And I feel uncomfortable whenever he touches me because of it" she said, a bit harshly. Then she walked over to a bench and sat down, her breathing finally leveling out. "He's going to want to sleep with me once the doctor gives me the okay to do so. And I can't stand the thought of him seeing me naked like this" she added, this time, much quieter.

They sat quietly for a moment and Elena wondered if Caroline was going to say anything at all. But she did. "Would you feel this way if Stefan were Mia's father?" Caroline asked softly.

Elena couldn't help the smile that formed. "No. Because he would have been half responsible for what happened to my body" she answered. Then her smile faded. "He walked in on the middle of it and now I feel like I have to get everything back to the way it was if we have any chance of being together."

Caroline sat down next to her and grabbed her hand. "I'm pretty sure Stefan was well aware of what he was getting himself into when he made all these plans to be with you" she said softly, her warm smile providing a brief cure to all of Elena's problems.

"Thank you for being such a good friend" Elena said, laughing. But she just wanted to go home and see her baby. "Can you be an even better friend and go and bring the car around? I don't think I can walk to it" she added.

Caroline laughed. "Sure" she said, letting go of Elena's hand and walking back to the parking lot. Caroline wondered if she should talk to Stefan about Elena's concerns. It wasn't her place. But then again, when had that ever stopped her before?

**XXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow" Elena said with each step that she took. Stefan came into the room, frowning. "Not a word" she warned, pointing her finger at him. She couldn't hear him say how he had told her so, that this kind of intense exercise was too much, too soon.

"Mia is sleeping" he said instead.

Just the mention of her name had Elena smiling. "I'm going to go and shower" she said, walking towards the stairs. She attempted to climb the first step and was met with shooting pains everywhere in her body. She backed down off of the stairs. "Maybe I will shower downstairs" she said, heading in another direction.

"We can just hose you off in the backyard if that would be easier" Caroline called after her. Elena made a gesture with her finger at her. Caroline then gasped. "Did she just flip me off?" she asked Stefan.

Stefan smiled. "I believe she did" he said. Then he glared at her. "I told you to go easy on her" he said, his tone filled with irritancy.

"This is totally not my fault. It's yours" she argued. Stefan looked at her with confusion. "She wanted to go out there and kill herself because she doesn't think she's attractive enough for you anymore" she enlightened him.

"What?" Stefan asked. "That's ridiculous. I've already told her she's beautiful and that I would love her no matter what she looked like" he argued.

Caroline's mouth gaped open at him. "You don't tell a girl you would love her no matter what she looked like!" she said, horrified at his words. "That just means that you think she's not beautiful and that there are things she could work on, AKA, going out and killing herself running so she will have a nice body for when you have sex with her!" she snapped. "She feels so unbelievably unattractive."

Stefan's eyes nearly jumped out of his head. He hadn't meant anything by it when he said that he would love her, even if she was dirty and smelly. "Who said anything about sex?" Stefan asked, blinking once, twice, and once more.

Caroline opened her mouth to answer, and then closed it for a moment. "Well, she did. She assumes you are expecting it" Caroline said nervously, feeling as though she had really stepped over her boundaries this time. "You know what? You should talk to her" Caroline said quickly. "I'm just relaying what happened today" she added. "Oh, and here" she said, digging in her purse and pulling out a small tube of Icy Hot. "She's going to need that when she gets out of the shower" she said before turning to leave.

Stefan continued to stare at her, dumbfounded by the conversation they had just had. Where had Stefan given Elena the idea that he wanted sex? And how had he made her feel so badly about herself that she would subject herself to such torture? He shook his head. He had to make things right.

**XXXXXXXXXXXX**

Elena resurfaced from the bathroom about half an hour later, limping stiffly as she walked. She was wearing a pair of cotton shorts and an old college t-shirt. "I'm going to check on Mia" she said, passing him in the living room.

"I just did. She's still asleep" Stefan informed her.

"Oh thank God" Elena said, shuffling over to the couch and easing herself onto it, laying on her stomach and groaning from pain. She sighed, content with staying on that couch forever.

"Here" he said, walking over to the couch and sitting down next to her. "Icy Hot. For your muscles" he told her. She reached her arm to grab it, but he pulled it away from her. "I've got it. Where does it hurt?" he asked.

"Everywhere" Elena mumbled. But she didn't want him touching her everywhere. "I'll do it, Stefan" she insisted. He swatted her hand away – a bold move – and put some on his hand, rubbing his hands together briefly. He started down by her calves, massaging slowly.

It felt amazing and her hesitancy slowly faded. She could feel the soreness start to ease up and his touch definitely loosened up her stiff muscles some. He moved up to the backs of her knees and heard her sigh; he took this as his cue to continue. "Do you want to talk about anything?" he asked, rubbing firmly around her knees.

"No" Elena said, closing her eyes and relaxing. Then she opened her eyes abruptly as a thought hit her. "What did Caroline tell you?" she asked, pushing herself up and turning to look at him. "Ow!" she cried out, wincing.

Stefan sighed. "She mentioned that you don't think you're attractive anymore … and you're worried what I think about you" he told her. Elena's eyes avoided his as she fell back into the couch and covered her face with her arms. She was going to have a very not so friendly conversation with Caroline the next time she saw her. "Elena" Stefan said. When she didn't look at him, he peeled her arms away from her face. She looked embarrassed. "You need to tell me these things, not Caroline" he said quietly.

She was quiet for quite some time, but he didn't push her to say anything until she was ready. "I know I just had a baby" she said, forcing herself to not roll her eyes. "But I can't help it. I just … I don't feel attractive. And here you are, all in love with me, and I'm just … blah." She took a deep breath and sighed. She noticed that he was smiling at her. "What?" she asked, slightly annoyed.

"Physical attraction is important in a relationship" he said. Yeah, she knew this. "And I'm still as attracted to you now as I was back then" he added, resting his hand on her knee. She watched that hand closely. "So, while I understand that you feel unattractive, I also think you are absolutely crazy for feeling that way" he finished. She looked up at him finally, her eyes filled with amazement. "So, if you want to work out and get back into shape, you do so for you, not for me, got it?" he asked. She nodded weakly, her thoughts still on where his hand was.

"Okay" she said after a moment.

"Okay" he smiled. "Lay back down" he instructed, grabbing even more Icy Hot. He started where he left off, running his hands along her thighs, getting both her hamstrings and her quads. She was tense, he noticed, and probably not from the stiffness of her muscles. He only went to wear her shorts stopped, though. "Turn over" he added. She did so, very slowly though. Stefan lifted up her shirt slightly, massaging her back.

He started low, massaging the skin as deep as he could without causing her pain. He worked slowly, moving up her back and to her shoulders. "That feels really, really good" Elena said, her eyes remaining closed. She felt like she could stay there forever.

Stefan smiled as he ran his hands back down her back and pulled her shirt down. "All done" he announced. Elena sighed contently, her eyes still closed. "Why don't you rest here for a little bit" he suggested.

"No, I want to be upstairs just in case Mia needs me" she said, forcing her eyes to flutter open. Elena rolled over onto her back, looking up at him. "I don't think I'm going running tomorrow" she said, a playful grin appearing. She sat up some, wincing again. Before she could process what he was doing, he had his arms under her, lifting her up and then was walking away from the living room with her. "Stefan" she protested. "I can walk" she informed him. He grabbed the baby monitor off the table and continued along his way.

"Can you?" he asked, eyeing her. He smiled as he began walking up the stairs.

She smiled as well. "No, I suppose I can't" she said as he reached the top of the stairs and wandered on down to her room. He set her on her bed and helped her get under the blankets. "Goodnight" he said, turning her bedside lamp on for her and setting the baby monitor on her nightstand.

"Stefan" she said, grabbing his attention before he left. She patted the bed. "Stay here for a minute. I want to ask you something." Stefan hesitated, but he finally crawled onto the bed with her, facing her. "What happened between you and that doctor? Elijah?" she asked.

"It's nothing" he shrugged. Nothing for her to worry about. All in the past.

"Didn't look like nothing" she said, reaching her hand out and grabbing his. "If I have to bare my soul today, so do you" she reasoned.

He sighed. "Fine" he said, running his hand over her knuckles. "I was seeing this girl and I thought things were getting serious" he explained. "And then I found out she and Elijah were sleeping together. Had been, for months" he added.

She squeezed his hand, a pained look on her face. "You were in love with her?" she asked, curiously.

Stefan laughed a little. "No. I have only loved one person" he said, his eyes penetrating hers with a mesmerizing look. "I was just trying to move on … it wouldn't have worked out anyway, even if they hadn't hooked up."

Elena shook her head. "You don't know that" Elena told him.

"I do" Stefan disagreed. "I wasn't happy" he said quietly. "I hadn't been happy for a long time until I bumped into you that morning a few months ago" he added, smiling as he remembered. He pulled his hand away from hers and rested his hand against her cheek, stroking it lightly. "I missed you."

She felt her heart flutter as she sat there with him. "I had been so scared when I found out I was pregnant. And when I looked up and saw you that morning, I felt such a relief. Like everything was going to be okay because I had you in my life again" she told him quietly. "But I never expected you to step in the way you did" she added, feeling herself get teary-eyed. "I know she's only a few weeks old, but I think she already loves you as much as I love you."

Stefan smiled. "I hope so" he said, loving the sound of that. He really did hope that she loved him as much as he already loved her, too. "Can I ask you something?" he asked.

"Sure" Elena said, turning her head slightly more to look up at him.

"Is he going to come back? Wanting to see you or her?" he asked. It had been on his mind for some time now. It terrified him to think that this guy could just show up at any time and have just as much right as he did to see Mia. That it wouldn't matter how much time or energy or money that Stefan spent on Mia. He'd never share her biology.

Elena frowned. Was that something that he worried about? "He won't" she said, reassuringly. "He died a few months into my pregnancy" she added for clarification. "Accident on the job is what I was told. I didn't dig too much further into knowing. He had already said he didn't want anything to do with her" she said, the distaste present in her voice. The first time Elena had told him this, she said it in a way that indicated that she was okay with him not wanting anything to do with Mia. But now, Stefan wasn't so sure.

"You're better off without him" Stefan said, giving his opinion. "You both are."

Elena smiled sadly. "I suppose we are" she agreed.

They stayed up talking for hours, even though Stefan was pretty sure she was exhausted. He waited for her to fall asleep before he gave into sleep himself. He must have rested his eyes for about half an hour before Mia's fussing came through the baby monitor. Elena was still sound asleep, so he rolled out of bed and went down the hall to get Mia.

"What's all the fuss about?" he asked quietly, switching her light on and picking her up. He took her to the changing table, but she wasn't wet. He took her downstairs, but she wasn't hungry. "I think you just want attention" Stefan said, sitting down with her on the couch. "At 12:30 in the morning. We need to have a chat about this" he said, though he couldn't be annoyed with her for keeping him up at all hours. She was simply too precious. He held her close and kissed her every now and then, talking to her about Elena and everything he had done with her when they were kids. Mia stopped fussing, though she kicked her hands and feet. He grabbed a foot and smiled as she continued to kick. "We're going to have to put you in soccer or something to get all your energy out" he told her.

An hour later, when he thought she was getting sleepy again, he took her back to the nursery. But she began to get fussy as soon as he put her down. He sighed, picking her back up. "Oh, that's how we're going to do this, huh?" he asked, sitting down in the rocking chair. He yawned repeatedly, resting her in his lap and rubbing her stomach. "Mia Mia Mia" he said quietly. "You should go to sleep" he added with another yawn. At least it was Saturday.

By 8 AM, Stefan had fed Mia two times, changed her three times, and rocked her the rest of the time. Every time she would fall asleep, he would put her down and she would wake up and cry, resulting in him picking her back up.

He was on his way to Elena's room with a very happy, catered to, baby. Elena was still asleep when he walked into the room and laid back down next to Elena, setting Mia between them. Mia began fussing at the loss of contact, so Stefan quickly patted her back.

Elena woke up quickly, somewhat startled. "How long have I been asleep?' she asked, looking down at Mia.

"Almost eight hours" he told her. He saw her horrified look and he laughed. "I was on baby watch. No worries" he assured her.

"Stefan" she said, her voice reprimanding him. "You worked all day yesterday. You don't need to be up all night with a baby" she added, her voice now full of guilt.

"You worked all day too" he reminded her. Taking care of a baby all day was no walk in the park. "Every time I tried to put her back down, she started crying and getting fussy again" he explained.

"Great" Elena said, rolling her eyes. "Now she knows you're going to pick her up every time she cries" Elena glared, though it was playfully. "You've spoiled her" she added, running her hand softly over Mia's head.

"And I intend to continuing spoiling her" Stefan stated, a ridiculous smile appearing. It was the greatest thing ever, taking care of her.

Elena shook her head, sitting up. She winced. "Get some sleep, Stefan. And thank you for staying up with her last night" she told him, picking Mia up and cradling her in her arms.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

"To do what you told me to do" Elena said, turning her head to one side as she looked at him lying on her bed. "Calling Jenna" she answered upon seeing his confused look. "Wish me luck" she said, smiling nervously as she slowly disappeared out of the room.

"Good luck" he grinned. Stefan put his hands behind his head and closed his eyes, welcoming the thought of sleep. He needed it, though he smiled at the thought of Mia wanting his constant attention.


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: This is a very short update. I apologize. I am so busy this week. **

**Thank you for your reviews. You all seem so passionate about this story which makes me smile. :D**

"Get up" Caroline demanded, yanking the comforter off of Damon. He whined, shielding his eyes from the daylight filtering in to their room. "Now" she said insistently.

Damon grabbed the comforter and gave it a swift tug, making her fall onto the bed with him. He rolled on top of her and smiled. "Now this is more like it" he said, kissing her.

"No" she said, covering his mouth with her hand. "You are getting up so you can go and apologize to your brother and Elena. You've waited too long" she informed him.

Damon groaned. "And if I wait a little longer, it will all blow over and I won't have to apologize at all" he winked, kissing her hand.

She shook her head. "Go. Now. Apologize" she said, her voice stern as she rolled out from under him.

"Baby, it's Sunday" he whined, falling back into the comforter.

"Exactly" Caroline told him, straightening out the wrinkles in her sundress. "A day for asking for forgiveness" she added. Damon glared at her as she left the room.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Damon knocked on his brother's front door, looking down at a ridiculously girly flower pot sitting next to his foot. Elena. He rolled his eyes. She was taking his brother's masculinity away, little by little.

The door opened a few minutes later. Elena stood on the other side, holding a baby. Her baby. "Damon" she said, somewhat surprised.

"Elena" he said, nodding politely. "Baby" he added, nodding as well.

Elena smiled. "Mia" she said. "Would you like to come in?" she asked, shaking her surprise and stepping aside.

Damon hesitated for a moment. "Sure" he said finally. He walked inside and waited for Elena to shut the door. He then followed her into the living room. "Is my brother here?" he asked.

"No" Elena answered, sitting down with Mia. "He had to go and pick something up from work, but he should be back soon" she explained, patting Mia's back as she became fussy.

Damon sat down, uncomfortably. "Well, I suppose I owe you an apology just as much as I do him" he sighed. Elena looked up at him, surprised again. Damon never apologized. "So, I'm sorry. About what I did. I realize that I upset you and caused you and Stefan a whole bunch of trouble."

Elena smiled just slightly. "Thank you, Damon. That means a lot to me" she told him, rocking Mia a bit as she started to cry.

He nodded. Short. Sweet. And to the point. "Well, I can catch my brother later" he said, feeling increasingly uncomfortable with the baby in the room, now crying.

"Okay" Elena replied. "Hey, do you think you can hold her for a minute? I need to go and warm her bottle" Elena said, standing with Mia.

Damon stood up quickly. "No, I don't think that's such a good idea, Elena" he told her nervously. He had never held a baby.

Elena smiled. "It is a lot easier than it looks" Elena assured him. "Sit" she said. Damon did so. She walked over with Mia and slowly put her into Damon's awaiting arms. "Just remember to support her head and keep your hand around her securely. She likes to wiggle a lot" Elena added. "I'll be right back" she said, once Mia was in place.

Damon sat completely frozen still. He didn't know what to do. Mia stopped crying and stared at him. Damon looked towards the kitchen. What was taking Elena so long? He looked back down at Mia. "Hi" he said awkwardly. "I'm Damon" he added. She continued to look at him. "You're kind of a neat little thing" he said. And then he heard a noise escape her and a small pile of warm throw up land on his shirt. A look of disgust crossed his face. "Elena!" he called, holding her away from him. "Elena!" he yelled again.

"What?" Elena asked, poking her head from around the corner.

"She just puked on me" he said, still disgusted.

Elena looked at him sympathetically as she brought him a towel. "I'm sorry. She does that sometimes" she said, wiping at his shirt and leaving the towel with him. She went back to the kitchen and left Damon completely shocked that she hadn't taken the little barf machine with her. Elena reappeared with a bottle. "Here" she said, handing him the bottle. "You feed her. I'll go upstairs and get you one of Stefan's shirts to change into" she informed him. "Just hold her like you were before and tip the bottle towards her. She'll do the rest" Elena assured him.

"But …" he began. It was too late. She had already gone out of the room. Damon sighed, placed Mia back in his arms like he had been holding her, and gave her the bottle. Just like Elena had said, Mia knew what to do.

He heard the front door open and he wondered if Elena was going outside. "Hello?" he heard. Oh no. Stefan. "Elena?" Stefan asked, walking into the living room. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Damon. With Mia. He was not happy.

"Hello, Brother" Damon smirked.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, keeping his anger in check. For Mia's sake.

Damon smiled. "Why Stefan, I do believe I am feeding the baby" he stated smugly. It only made Stefan angrier.

"I mean it, what are you doing here?" he asked again.

"He came by to apologize" Elena said, walking back into the room with a clean shirt. "Which he did, and I accepted" she informed. Stefan's hard stare seemed to soften just a little. It always did around her, or whenever she asked him to not be so hard on someone. "Why don't I take her and give you two a chance to talk" she proposed, trading Damon the shirt for the baby.

"Can I talk to you for a minute actually?" Stefan asked her. She nodded slowly, smiling at Damon and walking with Mia to the other room. Stefan followed. "I really don't want him here" Stefan said quietly, eyeing Damon from the other room. He didn't trust him.

Elena nodded. "I hear what you are saying, Stefan. But, he is your brother and he came out here to see you to apologize. I think you should hear him out" she told him, smiling softly as she did. "An afterwards, Mia and I were going to go for a walk to the park if you would like to join us" she added.

This lifted his mood and even made him smile. "Of course I would" he told her. "Come here sweetheart" Stefan said, taking Mia out of Elena's arms. "It is so hard to be in a bad mood when I get to hang out with you" he said, kissing her head.

Elena smiled, running her hand down Mia's back. "It really is, isn't it?" she asked. She looked up at Stefan and blushed, seeing the way he was smiling down at her. "Go talk to your brother" Elena told him.

Stefan bent down and kissed the top of her head before handing Mia back to her. "Fifteen minutes, and then we go to the park" he said, walking back into the living room.

Stefan sat down on the couch away from Damon. "You have fifteen minutes" Stefan told him, crossing his arms.

Damon smiled. "You seem really happy, with them I mean" he stated.

Stefan looked over at him. "I am" he stated confidently. "Elena is my whole world. And now, so is Mia" he added.

Damon nodded. "She's a beautiful baby. You guys look like a family" he stated. "Clearly, I was wrong to think Elena was taking advantage of you. I'm sorry".

Damon sounded sincere, which made Stefan worry. "If you are being sincere, then thank you" Stefan said.

"I am" Damon stated. "I don't want to cause you guys any more trouble" he said, standing. "I should go" he added.

Elena walked in, having listened in on their conversation some. "Thank you for stopping by" she told Damon. "Next time, you can learn how to change a diaper" she added with a smile.

Damon snorted. "Yeah no" he told her. "Later" he said, making his escape with the clean shirt.

Stefan leaned back into the couch and closed his eyes. Elena sat down next to him. "I'm very proud of you for hearing him out" she said, kissing his cheek.

He opened one eye and looked at her. Then he shook his head and smiled. "Let's go to the park" he said, squeezing her knee. Dealing with Damon had always been a constant uphill battle for him. He wondered if it would ever get easier.

**XXXXXXXXXXXX**

"So tell me about your phone call with Jenna" he said, sitting down on a bench with Elena and Mia, who was in her stroller, beginning to fuss. Stefan bent over and grabbed her, the blanket, and her pacifier.

"Well" Elena said, taking a big breath. "She hung up on me when I told her about Mia. She called back and then yelled at me, followed by intense sobbing for about ten minutes. She hung up on me again and called back a few minutes later to say that she would be here sometime this week when she could find some time off" Elena explained.

Stefan grinned. He knew Jenna would come out as soon as she could. "Aren't you glad I told you to call her?" he asked.

"I should have made you call her. She probably wouldn't have yelled at you" she added with a grin of her own.

"You're probably right" he said, trying to remember if Jenna had ever yelled at him before. "But I think you needed to do it" he added.

"I think so too" she said. Although it had been hard to tell her aunt, she felt a sense of relief now.

Stefan was smiling down at Mia, talking to her softly in that baby voice that made Elena laugh. She sat back and watched him for a bit.

Stefan looked up at the playground and saw a lot of kids, young and old, running around on the toys. "I can't wait until she's old enough to play on the playground" he said, smiling just at the thought.

Elena studied him for a moment. "You think about things like that?" she asked. Then she regretted it. Of course he did. He was Stefan. He thought about the future, far in advance. Always.

"Don't you?" he asked, turning to look at her.

"Well, yeah" she said, deciding how to word her next sentence so as not to upset him. "I guess it is just still hard for me to picture a future where you're still here with us" she added, quietly.

But he didn't get upset. Instead, he grabbed her hand with his free hand and smiled. "Why wouldn't I be?" he asked her gently.

Elena shrugged. "Don't you think you might get bored? That you might want a fresh start a few years down the road?" she asked him.

"Elena, I love the fact that I get to spend so much more time with you now. I love taking care of her" he said, looking down at Mia who was slowly closing her eyes. "I love having you two at home. Nothing about you two will ever bore me or make me want anything else" he said, carefully putting Mia back in her stroller. He turned back to face Elena and scooted closer to her. "I'm not going anywhere" he said, his eyes searching hers until she broke into a small smile.

"Stop being so amazing" she said, her smile still present.

"I've tried" he added, a small smile of his own. Elena laughed lightly as she leaned towards him and placed a light kiss on his lips. It took him by surprise, but it made his heart skip with excitement.

Elena reached up and wiped some of her lip gloss off of his lips, smiling as she did. "We should go walk now" she told him.

"Hold on" he said, placing his hand around her waist and pulling her towards him for another, longer kiss. "There. Now let's go" he whispered against her lips before kissing them lightly once more. He stood, held his hand out to her, and helped her to her feet. Elena held on to his hand as they walked, letting him push the stroller. She looked up at him from time to time and smiled. Maybe he was truly content having a life with them.

**XXXXXXXXXXXX**

Later that evening, Elena sat on the couch reading a new book she had bought on the way home from their walk at the park. Stefan was out back mowing the lawn and Mia was upstairs sleeping. She flipped the pages, her eyes scanning over the words.

A knock at the door startled her. She looked behind her and saw Stefan through the window, still mowing. She wondered who it could have been. Caroline always let herself in. Damon was just over that morning. She furrowed her brow as she walked to the front door and opened it.

Elena stood frozen in the doorway. "Hey, Elena" a soft voice said.

Elena felt her eyes burning, threatening to spill tears. "Bonnie?" she squeaked before tears began rolling down both of their faces.


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: I am really falling in love with this story. I wasn't so sure about it at first, but these characters have really earned a place in my heart : ) I hope you all feel the same! **

**Thank you for the wonderful reviews … that always make me smile. I check for new reviews a few times a day. It keeps me going, especially when I work all day long :P So, thank you for the inspiration! **

**I hope you enjoy this update! **

Bonnie quickly jumped forward, throwing her arms around Elena and hugging her as tightly as she could. She held her for about one minute before pulling away. "I am … SO angry with you right now" she said, hot tears continuing to run down her face. She wiped at them furiously. "But I love you" Bonnie sighed. She looked exhausted. Emotionally and physically.

"What are you doing here?" Elena asked, wiping at her own tears.

Bonnie looked at her sadly. "I'm here to see you and Mia" she stated.

Elena's eyes widened. "How do you …" she began to ask.

"Hey" came Stefan's voice when he walked in. He didn't seem at all surprised to see Bonnie. "Good to see you" he said, moving past Elena and pulling Bonnie into a hug. She hugged him back. "Come in" he said, stepping aside.

Bonnie came inside while Elena looked from one to the other in disbelief. "So where is she?" Bonnie asked.

"She's upstairs napping. I'll go and see if she's awake" Stefan announced. "Come in, sit" he said, leading her towards the living room.

When he came back, Elena was still in shock where they had left her. "You called her?" she asked him.

Stefan hesitated before answering. He couldn't tell if she was relieved or upset. "Well, yeah" Stefan said. "She's your best friend. You need her" he added softly. "Go, sit with her" he encouraged, giving her a friendly push in the right direction.

Elena shook her head. "I can't" she said. She hadn't talked to Bonnie in some time. The last time she had talked to her, it hadn't been pleasant. No. It had been horrible. Yelling. Crying. Words spoken that Elena never, ever thought they would say to each other.

Stefan's arms slipped around Elena, pulling her close. She sighed deeply and closed her eyes. A hug. Just what she needed. "She loves you. And I'm willing to bet if she came all this way, she wants to work things out" Stefan told her. He squeezed her tight. "And I'm pretty sure you want to make things right too" he added, pulling away from her slightly.

Her worried look had vanished for the time being. "How do you always know what to say in these types of situations?" she asked him, smiling.

"It's a gift" he shrugged, tucking some hair behind her ear. "Now go" he said. "I'll be right back down with Mia" he assured her.

"Make sure to change her" Elena told him. "With the …" she began, only to be cut off by him.

"New natural wipes that are for her sensitive skin" he finished for her. "I got this Elena" he told her, leaning in and kissing her quickly. Elena watched him walk up the stairs and disappear down the hall before she touched her lips and smiled. Every time he kissed her now, or she kissed him, she got this tingly feeling running through her body that she had never felt before. It must have been a sign.

Slowly, Elena composed herself and walked into the living area to sit on the couch with Bonnie. She was checking her phone when Elena sat down, but quickly put it away. "So Stefan called you" Elena said, breaking the ice somewhat.

Bonnie nodded. "Yeah, he did. I have to admit, I didn't believe him when he told me" she said, her eyes dangerously close to crying again.

"I wanted to call …" Elena said, looking nervously down at her hands.

"Me too" Bonnie said, equally as nervously.

"I didn't know what to say" they both said simultaneously. They then stopped, looked at each other, and smiled softly.

"I shouldn't have told you not to see my brother. It was unfair of me" Elena said sadly. "You made him happy. I realize that now" she said, the guilt hitting her all over again.

"I shouldn't have gone behind your back, even when I knew how you felt" Bonnie added. "But this?" Bonnie said, waving between them. "Us fighting. Not talking?" she said with disbelief. "This isn't us. We get mad at each other and then we fix it" she reminded her.

Elena nodded. "I'm so sorry" she said, feeling her tears prick at the backs of her eyes again. "Please forgive me" Elena said. She couldn't stand the thought of losing her best friend forever.

"Only if you forgive me too" Bonnie said, wiping again at her own tears. Elena nodded, laughing at how ridiculous they were, crying for a second time in less than a few minutes. "Come here" Bonnie said, pulling Elena into a hug. "I love you. And I'm so sorry too" she said.

"Are we interrupting?" Stefan asked, holding a bright-eyed Mia in the entranceway. Bonnie let go of Elena, her eyes glued to the little girl in Stefan's arms. "Oh, Elena" she said looking at Elena now. Elena's eyes lit up when she saw Stefan, with Mia. "She's … she's gorgeous" Bonnie finally said, nearly breathless. Bonnie stood, walking slowly over to Stefan and grabbing Mia's hand. "Look at you" she said softly, smiling bigger than she had in a long time. "You are so pretty" she gushed.

"Just like her mom" Stefan said, smiling towards Elena who instantly felt her cheeks turn pink. How did he do that?

Bonnie looked at Elena and laughed. "Some things really haven't changed" she said, eyeing Stefan. "Can I hold her?" Bonnie asked.

"If you can get Stefan to give her up" Elena said, her tears subsiding and her smile bright and warm.

Stefan playfully frowned. "Okay, but only because we like Bonnie" Stefan said to Mia. He kissed her head and sighed, putting her in Bonnie's arms. "Just make sure to watch her head. And she likes to be held sort of at an angle so she can see what's going on still" he instructed, tucking her blanket back around her.

"Like this?" Bonnie asked, tucking her into her arm, at an angle, while supporting her head.

"Yeah, like that" Stefan told her. Bonnie walked back towards Elena and sat down. "I have some things to finish up outside. Just holler if you need me" he said.

"Thanks Stefan" Bonnie told him, taking her eyes off of Mia for just a second to look at him. He smiled at them both before leaving the room. Bonnie scooted closer to Elena so she could see her daughter. "I just can't stop staring at her. She's perfect, Elena."

Elena smiled. "She is" Elena agreed. "I love her so much" she added, grabbing Mia's foot.

"You know, for a new mom, you look pretty well rested" Bonnie pointed out. "What's your secret?" she asked.

"Stefan" Elena said, continuing to smile. "He's been amazing. He wakes up with her a lot. He looks after her when I need to nap" she added.

"I just can't believe that after all these years, he still looks at you the way he did when we were younger. If it were possible, I think he loves you even more now than he did back then" she said. "I'm really glad that you two are finally together."

Elena's smile slowly faded. "We're not exactly together" she said. "He's helping out and letting me live here, but …" she said, finding it hard to verbalize what she was thinking.

"But what?" Bonnie asked. "It's obvious that he loves you. And her" she said, looking down at Mia again. "And I see the way you blush when he smiles at you, or the way your eyes light up when he walks into a room. So don't even try to tell me that you're not sure that you feel the same way about him that he feels about you. Because you do" Bonnie stated.

Well no one had ever pointed that out to Elena before. "I do love him" Elena admitted. But she always had. "I just spent so much time thinking that I was going to do this all on my own. It's hard for me to fully accept that Stefan wants to be a part of it too" she sighed, sitting back into the couch.

Bonnie leaned back too. "So stop thinking" she grinned. "Stefan wants to be with you. Both of you. You don't have to do this alone. You get someone to help you and someone to love you. That's pretty amazing, Elena. You deserve to let yourself be happy. So let yourself be happy with him" she said, her eyes sparkling with such promise as she said those words.

"You should be a motivational speaker or something" Elena said, smiling.

Bonnie laughed. "I think I'll stick to dance" she said. "But I sure wouldn't mind being a mother one day. You make it look so amazing" she said, watching Mia's sleepy little eyes close.

"It is pretty amazing" Elena confirmed. They remained quiet for a few minutes, content with watching Mia sleep. "When do you have to head back?" she asked.

"To New York?" Bonnie asked. "Late tonight. I have to be back by Monday morning. I just had to come and see you as soon as I found out" she added. Elena nodded sadly. She didn't want Bonnie to leave so soon. "But I get a week off next month, and I fully plan on spending it with you guys" she said.

"Good" Elena said, letting herself smile. She could wait until next month to see Bonnie again. At least now she could call her. "You haven't asked about Jeremy" Elena pointed out.

Bonnie frowned. "I wasn't sure I was supposed to" she said.

"Of course you're supposed to" Elena told her. Bonnie looked up at her expectantly. "He spent the year traveling. He will be back next week."

"How is he doing?" Bonnie asked.

Elena smiled at her. "He's doing well. But I think he misses you. I'll tell him to call you when he gets in if you want" she added.

"I'd like that" Bonnie said. "I'd really like that."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Bonnie stayed for dinner, having laughed and joked with Elena and Stefan all throughout it. Just like old times. "I should call the cab. I have to be to the airport soon" she said, breaking in on their fun.

"I can take you to the airport" Stefan offered.

"That's really nice of you Stefan, but I don't want to take you away from your family" she told him, smiling at just how close Stefan was sitting next to Elena. Any closer and someone would have been in someone else's lap.

"I don't want you to have to take a cab this late by yourself" he pointed out. "The airport isn't that far. I won't be gone long" he said, standing up.

Bonnie looked at Elena. "Let him take you. He's right. You shouldn't take a cab this late" Elena said, standing with Mia. She walked over to Elena and hugged her. "Thank you for coming to see me. I've missed you" she said, willing herself not to cry. "Safe flight" she whispered.

Bonnie nodded. "I'll see you soon" she said, pulling away from Elena. "And I'll call you tomorrow" she added. "And you" she said, grabbing Mia's hand. "Don't get any more cuter while I am away" she said, kissing Mia's little fingers.

Stefan handed Bonnie her jacket and Bonnie gave Elena one more hug goodbye before walking out of the kitchen. Elena caught Stefan's arm before he could follow her. "Thank you" she told him.

Stefan smiled. "Well I didn't want her going off on her own this late" he told her.

Elena smiled. "I was actually talking about you calling Bonnie for me" she said. "But thank you for taking her to the airport too" she added.

He nodded, knowing that she was extremely thankful for what he had done. "I'll be home in half an hour or so" he told her quietly. He leaned in and kissed her for a moment.

"Okay" Elena said quietly. She looked up at him through her eyelashes, wondering for the millionth time how she had gotten so damn lucky. "I love you" she said quietly, before she could stop herself. Stefan seemed to falter for a moment in what he wanted to say. She hadn't ever said that to him, in a romantic sort of way like she just had. She suddenly felt self-conscious, like she shouldn't have said it at all. "I'm sorry …" she said nervously.

Stefan quickly shook his head at her. "No. It's just …" he said, trying to figure out what he wanted to say. "I didn't know if I would ever hear you say those three words to me" he told her.

"Stefan, my flight leaves in less than an hour" Bonnie called from the other room.

Suddenly Stefan wanted to tell Bonnie to take the cab to the airport. But he couldn't. It wasn't in his nature. "I love you too" Stefan said, kissing her lips one last time before walking away from her.

The door opened and closed and they were gone. Elena looked at Mia. "So let yourself be happy with him" she said, repeating Bonnie's words from earlier. "Let myself be happy with him" she said before turning and taking Mia upstairs.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Half an hour later or so, Stefan came upstairs. Elena had just gotten Mia down for the night, or for a few hours until she woke up again. She had changed into her yoga pants and a t-shirt and was all ready for bed. Her door was closed and she assumed Stefan thought she had gone to bed. She walked down to his room and found him pulling the covers back on his bed, ready to get in. "Hey" she said quietly. He looked up and smiled. "She's on her way back to New York?" Elena asked, walking into his room.

Stefan nodded. "She is" Stefan said. "But she sounded excited to come back next month. I told her she could stay here" he added. Elena looked sad though, even at the mention of Bonnie's next visit. "You okay?" he asked, dropping the sheets he had been pulling back.

Elena forced herself to nod. "I just miss her" she said. She had missed her for a long time. "Can I … can I stay with you, tonight?" she asked hesitantly. Partly because she didn't want to be alone. But also, she was working on letting herself be happy. With him.

If Stefan was surprised, he didn't show it. "Of course" he said. Elena walked over to his bed and crawled in. He followed soon after, pulling the blankets over the top of them. He turned the light off, seeing as how the light from the moon was keeping the room well lit for now. "So are you two good now?" Stefan asked.

Elena nodded. "I think we're going to be okay" Elena told him quietly. "Do you want to know why we stopped talking?" she asked.

"Only if you want to tell me" he replied.

Elena reached for his hand, grabbing it to hold. "She and Jeremy had a thing for each other and I told her I didn't want her to see him" she said. "But she did, behind my back, and when I found out, I said some not so nice things to her" she sighed. "And then she said some not so nice things back to me. There was yelling and crying and then we both stormed off. It was horrible" she said, remembering it exactly.

"Why didn't you want them to be together?" Stefan asked curiously.

Elena shrugged. "I didn't want my little brother dating my best friend. It was weird" she said. "But stupid" she added. "I think he really liked her." Then she sighed. "You know, Bonnie never told Jeremy that I didn't want them together. Even after our fight. She broke up with him but never said anything about me" she added.

"Bonnie is a good friend" Stefan reminded. That she was. "Maybe you can make things right. Jeremy comes home next week. Maybe he can go and visit her" he added.

Elena smiled. "Yeah, maybe" she said. Then she sighed again. Something else was on her mind. "Did I freak you out when I told you I loved you tonight?" she asked.

Stefan laughed quietly. "No. You surprised me. But you didn't freak me out. It's always nice when someone tells you they love you" he said, running is thumb over her hand.

"Bonnie told me I needed to let myself be happy with you" she said, looking into his eyes. "She made me realize some things tonight" she added.

"Like what?" Stefan asked, holding his breath. He hoped they were good things.

"That it's okay for me to make you a more permanent part of my life" she stated. "And that apparently, I blush every time you look at me" she added with a small laugh.

Stefan laughed too. He was happy. So damn happy right now. "You do blush when I look at you, usually after I've complimented you" he said. Then he got serious again. "So, are you and I something now?" he asked hesitantly.

Elena smiled. "We're a work in progress" she told him.

A work in progress. He could live with that. "I like that" he said, leaning over her slightly to kiss her. Not one of his more soft, romantic kisses that he had been giving her all day. This one had a lot more passion behind it. And while it definitely sent sparks through her body, she wanted to make a few things clear first. She turned her head to the side, breaking the kiss. Stefan trailed his lips down her throat. She had to force herself to speak up because he wasn't making it easy to do much else.

"Stefan, wait" she said breathlessly. Stefan sat up some, looking down at her. He looked fearful, like he had done something wrong. She grabbed his face and smiled. "I still can't do some of the more physical things that you might have in mind" she said shyly. Why was she so embarrassed to discuss this with him?

"Sex?" he asked her. She nodded. "I know" he said, giving her a reassuring smile. "Not for a few more weeks at least" he added. Elena wanted to die from embarrassment now. He was keeping track.

"Yeah" she told him. "Do steamy make out sessions sound okay until then?" she asked, hopeful. That's about all she was willing to offer right now.

Stefan grinned. "Whatever you want to do, whenever you want to do it" he answered, leaning back down and kissing her gently. "So yeah, steamy make out sessions sound perfect" he added, kissing her again. "But just so we're both clear, you do want sex eventually?" he asked.

Elena paused for a moment and it kind of freaked him out, like she was reconsidering it. "Yes" she finally said. "The first time was pretty amazing. I think I would love to do that again" she said, burying her head into his shoulder to hide her smile.

He smiled at her shyness. "Yeah, it was pretty amazing" he agreed. It was pretty special, too. He noticed that she was still hiding her face from him. "Hey" he laughed, pulling away from her. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing" she said, running her hand up his arm.

"No, that's not going to work with me" he said, kissing her lips lightly. "What's wrong?" he asked again.

Elena sighed. "I just … I still don't feel … sexy. And I don't want to disappoint you" she said, closing her eyes.

"Hey" he said. She still didn't open her eyes. "Hey" he said again, poking her side. Elena's eyes flew open, along with her mouth. He knew she was ticklish. She gave him a warning look. "I think you're sexy as hell" he said, running his fingers down her waist.

"Baby weight and all?" she asked, a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

"What baby weight?" he asked against her lips, his fingers finding their way under her shirt. She tensed almost immediately. "I'm going to tell you you're sexy every five minutes, all day long until you start to believe it" he whispered into her ear.

She seemed to relax some and he kept his hands low, caressing her skin as he went back to kissing her. Slowly. Then passionately. Either way, it left her breathless, and wishing for more. "So … damn … sexy" he whispered in between kisses.


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: To answer one review … yes, it is more than okay to fall in love with the fictional character Stefan in this story. In fact, I encourage it :D**

**I think I will start to skip ahead a bit with this story, mainly because I want to touch on some other aspects for their future. This story is already going to be longer then I had anticipated! But if you all are happy with it, then I will continue writing it.**

**Thank you for the reviews! You make me smile :D**

Elena rolled over sleepily as she heard the demanding fussiness of her daughter on the baby monitor. She blinked a few times and saw that the clock read just after midnight. Elena looked over at Stefan and his messy hair. She smiled, remembering their time together just hours before. He was such a good kisser.

Finally, she began to sit up so she could go and check on Mia. But a strong pair of hands stopped her. "I'll go" Stefan said sleepily, pulling her back down to him and kissing her shoulder.

He went to sit up, but Elena stopped him this time. "You have work in the morning. I'll go" she told him, pulling lightly on his arm to keep him in bed. Stefan blinked back the fogginess for a moment before nodding. Elena leaned in and kissed his ear. He was always so thoughtful. Too thoughtful sometimes. "Thank you though" Elena whispered before crawling out of bed.

She padded her sleepy self down to Mia's nursery and flipped on the light. "Hi Mia" Elena grinned, reaching down into the crib and grabbing her. "You woke Mommy and …" she began, only to stop. Who was Stefan to her? Daddy? Mommy's new love interest? She didn't want to think about that right now. That was a conversation to have with Stefan.

Elena put Mia on the changing table and changed her wet diaper. She was thankful for the spacious setup, especially during these early morning changings when she was still half asleep. Elena buttoned her onesie back up and went downstairs for a bottle. She made her way back up to the nursery and sat in the rocking chair.

Elena rocked back and forth with Mia until she was done. Burping took another few minutes or so and then she rocked Mia back to sleep for the next half hour. Maybe, just maybe Elena could get another few hours of sleep in before the next round. But while she was dead tired, she couldn't help but smile at the beautiful little baby in her crib. "Goodnight, Mia" she whispered.

Elena again found herself wondering what Stefan was to Mia as she walked down the hall to her own room. She sort of knew what Stefan was to her. But if she was seen with Stefan, people were going to want to know who Stefan was.

She knew Stefan loved Mia. He had said as much. But she really didn't want to bring this up with Stefan and scare him. Elena sighed as she closed her door and got into bed. She was almost back to sleep when her door opened. "Elena?" Stefan whispered.

She opened her eyes and sat up. "Yeah?" she whispered back.

Stefan shut her door and walked over to her bed. "Are you coming back to bed?" he asked. He seemed almost disappointed to see her in her own room.

"Stefan, she's going to wake up at least three more times before you have to get up. I don't want you to wake up anymore" she explained to him.

Stefan pulled back Elena's covers and crawled in with her, snuggling close and putting his arms around her. "I don't mind" he said softly into her ear. He loved being close to her, whether they were sleeping or up and about.

"Oh Stefan" she said, though she couldn't help but smile. "You are going to be exhausted for work" she sighed, wrapping her arms around him and laying her head against his chest.

Stefan kissed her hair and sighed contently. "That's what coffee is for" he reminded her.

Yeah, she supposed so.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Damon walked around the baby boutique hesitantly, eyeing the door every so often and thinking about walking out. It wasn't very busy in there. A few moms would walk in, pick out some clothes and bedding and then leave. He had no idea what he was doing in there. Well, he did. He was looking for a present for Mia since he hadn't given her anything yet. He just didn't know what he wanted. Caroline had gone to her book club and wouldn't be back until the late afternoon.

A store employee finally took pity on him and asked him if he needed help. "Well" he said, eyeing the store once more. "I need to get a gift for a baby" he told her.

"Okay" she said, giving him an even bigger pitiful look. "Is this a baby you are related to?" she asked.

"Yes" he stated. "Well, no. It's my brother's best friend's baby, but they are living together now. He's known her since she was five. I have too" he rambled. "Anyway, they are sort of together now I think so I wanted to get the baby a present, you know, like an uncle might do" he said, feeling incredibly awkward.

The pretty little redhead smiled sympathetically at him now. "Well I am sure we can find you something to buy her" she said. "Do you know what sizes she is in?" she asked, heading towards the clothing area.

Damon furrowed his brow as he thought. "Ummm … like this big" he said, measuring out with his hands about how big he remembered her to be.

"Okay, and about how old?" she asked.

"Like three weeks" Damon answered. "But she was born a month early so she's kind of little" he said, repeating what he had heard Caroline say.

"Okay" she said. "Clothing might be kind of hard to pick out without knowing more on her sizes" she explained. "How about jewelry?" she asked, leading him over to the counter. She pulled out a few examples for him to look at. "This is an anklet that we can personalize for you. As you can see, it is made of white gold with alternating diamonds and pink pearls. The letter charms are made of white gold and diamonds too and can be used to spell out her name" she explained.

Damon picked up the anklet and examined it. "How long would it take to be made?" he asked, examining the pink pearls carefully.

"I could have it ready for you in about two hours" she told him.

He nodded. "Okay" he told her. She pulled out a form for him to fill out, including the correct spelling of Mia's name.

Damon walked out of the little boutique, having spent $3200 on the anklet for Mia. He was happy with his choice though and the cost really hadn't bothered him. That was nothing compared to the ring he had bought Caroline. Now, he had two hours to kill before he picked up Mia's gift.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Elena put the last of the clothes away and came back downstairs with Mia. Although Stefan had insisted that Elena did not need to do his laundry too, she always did it anyway. She always told him it was the least she could do.

A knock at the door startled her. It was just past one in the afternoon and she wasn't expecting anyone. When she opened the door, Damon was standing on the other side of it, smiling. "Well hello Elena. Baby" he greeted.

"Hi" Elena said, looking at him curiously. He knew Stefan wouldn't be home right now. "Umm, come in" she said, stepping aside. He did so. "Can I get you anything to drink?" she asked.

"Nope" he said, smiling. He seemed awfully happy as he turned to walk into the living room. Elena followed him with Mia. "I came by to drop off a present for Mia" he stated, rather proud of himself.

"Damon, you don't have to buy her things" Elena told him, switching Mia to her other arm.

He looked at her, intrigued by her comment. "But it's my job now" he stated. If his brother was going to be shacking up with her, then he was now responsible for buying the baby gifts. Besides, Caroline got to buy the baby things. Why couldn't he?

"Your job?" Elena asked quizzically.

"Yeah" he stated. "As her uncle, I get to buy her all the things you two won't" he explained.

"Uncle" Elena said, testing the word for herself. She hadn't really thought of anyone as "uncle" except for Jeremy.

"Caroline gets to be an aunt" Damon said, arguing his point.

Elena really couldn't argue with that. Caroline had started to call herself that. "So, what did you get her?" Elena asked, desperately trying to change the subject. Because if Damon was an uncle, that made Stefan, a father.

Damon motioned for her to sit down as he produced a pink velvet jewelry box out of his pocket. "Open it" he said, handing it to her.

Elena did so carefully, not sure what she would find. "Oh … my God" she gasped, staring straight at the anklet sitting perfectly in the box. She looked up at Damon in surprise. Diamonds, pink pearls, charms with the letters for her name.

He looked completely happy with himself. "An anklet. With her name" he pointed out. Now she looked like she was going to cry.

She felt like she was going to cry. "Damon" she said, still in disbelief.

"You don't like it?" he asked. He had never had a woman turn down a piece of jewelry he had given her.

"No, it's beautiful" she quickly corrected. "You just … shouldn't have" she added. It looked really expensive. And Mia was just three weeks old.

"I wanted to" Damon said, grabbing the box from Elena. He carefully took the anklet out and fastened it around Mia's little ankle. Mia kicked her foot some, but for the most part, didn't seem bothered by it.

"Thank you" Elena smiled, admiring the expensive piece of jewelry that her daughter was now sporting.

"You're welcome" he said. "Can I … hold her?" he asked. He had really been looking forward to holding her.

Elena laughed. "Of course" she said, passing Mia to him. She then leaned back and watched him.

"Take that, Aunt Caroline" Damon said proudly. Like she could ever compete with him if she tried.

"Can I ask you something?" Elena asked.

He looked up at her, somewhat surprised. "Yeah" he said.

"What do you do, for a living?" she asked, suddenly embarrassed. "I mean, I don't mean to pry. But Stefan hasn't mentioned you working" she added.

Damon smiled. "Are you afraid I had to turn tricks for this?" he smirked, holding up Mia's foot. Elena turned red. She was already embarrassed enough for having asked. He took pity on her though and answered. "I invest for a profit" he told her. "I took some of the family money and started looking into local investments. Then I went international on a few" he added.

"Aren't you afraid that you'll lose everything at some point?" Elena asked.

Damon shrugged. "I like the risk" he told her. "Besides, if I ever did lose everything, I'm sure I could bum a few dollars from my dear little brother" he said smugly.

Elena was well aware that Stefan did have money in addition to his salary, thanks to a rather wealthy family. But he never advertised it and for the most part, lived a normal life. "How are your parents, by the way?" she asked.

"Rich, annoying as usual" Damon said, waving his hand. Elena remembered very little of Stefan and Damon's parents. Mostly because they were never around much. Their Uncle Zach though was pretty cool. "Stefan talks to them more than I do. They aren't exactly happy with my marriage" he grinned.

Elena smiled. "I'd hate to see what they would say about me and my situation" she said.

"Yeah, well, you might get the chance rather soon. Mommy and Daddy dearest are visiting next week" he explained. Elena's eyes widened. "I was thinking about having a family barbeque" he grinned.

"A barbeque?" Elena asked. "Do your parents do barbecues?" she asked.

Damon grinned even wider. "Nope" he said, popping the word. "All the more reason to have one" he said.

Elena shook her head. Stefan had always tried to please his parents. Damon took pride in getting under their skin. "Stefan hasn't mentioned their visit to me" she said.

"He's probably trying to figure out what lie to tell them" Damon shrugged. "After all, we can't have our Golden Boy shacking up with a woman and her baby, can we?" he asked. "That might even beat my drunken Vegas marriage in the category for most outrageous family disgraces" he winked.

Elena paled. "Maybe I shouldn't make my presence known then" she told Damon.

"Don't let me spoil the occasion for you" he told her. "You know how my parents are" he added. Elena did know. They were scary and not what parents should have been. "Anyway, I should get going. I have stuff to do" he said, handing Mia back. They stood together. "Think about the barbecue" he told her, leaning in and kissing her cheek. "Might be fun" he winked before seeing himself out.

"Yeah, fun" Elena muttered, sitting back down with Mia. She started to wonder why Stefan hadn't mentioned their visit. Had he even mentioned her to his parents at all?

**XXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Stefan came home a little later than usual. Elena had dinner sitting at the table. "Sorry I'm late" he said, dropping his briefcase and joining her. "There was a big ordeal about a patient sticking a jellybean up his nose and …" he began, only to notice Elena laughing at him. "What?" he asked.

"You're just funny when you're not trying to be" she said.

Stefan smiled at her as he walked towards her. He bent down to her level and kissed her. "I missed you" he said, kissing her again. Then he pulled away to give Mia the attention she deserved as well. "And you" Stefan said, picking her up out of her swing. "I missed you so much" he said, holding her up and kissing her face three times. It was then that he noticed the anklet. "Where'd this come from?" he asked, holding Mia against him as he grabbed for the anklet.

"Damon bought it for her" she stated, gaging his reaction. "He brought it over this afternoon" she added. Elena shrugged. "He said he wanted to. That it was his job now …as an uncle … to buy her presents" she explained. "I think he's competing with Caroline" she added.

"Uncle" Stefan said, repeating the word.

"It's beautiful" Elena said, changing the subject.

He paused for a moment and let silence fall between them. "She'd make anything look beautiful" Stefan finally said, kissing her cheek again. Elena smiled as Stefan handed Mia back to her. It was his way of accepting the gift and moving on, she assumed. Though she could tell that he didn't like his brother buying Mia gifts, especially, expensive gifts.

"Dinner is ready" she added, changing the subject again.

"I'm just going to wash up" he told her.

Elena put Mia in her swing and angled it at the table so she could watch. By the time Stefan returned, Elena sitting down waiting. "This looks great" he said, trying to decide what he wanted to try first.

"It's new" she told him. She had decided to find a new recipe to try and hoped it had turned out okay. "It's not burnt at least" she said, half laughing in her attempt to hide how nervous she was for him to try it.

Stefan chewed on it for a moment. "Pretty good" he told her, taking another bite.

"Really?" she asked, letting herself breathe finally.

"Yeah" he smiled, taking a sip of his wine that she had put out for him. "So good, in fact, that it almost makes up for all the things you made me eat that were burnt" he ginned, picking up his fork again.

Elena huffed. "I never made you eat anything that was burnt. You insisted" she reminded him.

"I didn't want to hurt your feelings" he pointed out, smiling at her the whole time. This is what he missed. Joking with her. He stared at her for a moment, in deep thought. "You and I should go out on Saturday night" he said, catching her off guard. But she did look intrigued. "Dinner, a movie" he said.

"What about Mia?" she asked, suddenly worried. Surely they couldn't take her to a movie, or keep her out that late.

"I bet Caroline would love to watch her" Stefan said.

Elena frowned slightly. She had only ever left Mia once for an hour, and that was with Stefan. She wasn't so sure that she was ready to leave Mia with anyone else for that long. "I don't know, Stefan. I'm not sure I'm ready to leave Mia with anyone else yet" she explained apologetically.

Stefan smiled. "When you're ready, then" he said softly. While he would love to get out of the house with Elena, he was more than happy to hang out at home too. Elena sighed a sigh of relief.

"Damon mentioned that your parents were coming in next week" Elena said casually. He tensed immediately. "Were you going to mention this to me?" she asked.

Stefan stirred his food, suddenly not so hungry. "I wasn't planning on seeing them, so, I guess I didn't think to tell you about them" he said, avoiding her eyes.

"Stefan" she said, reaching her arm across the table and grabbing his hand. "They're your parents. You should at least say hi" she told him gently. Even if she didn't really like them. "I get that you don't want them to know about me …" she trailed off, pulling her hand away from his.

Stefan grabbed her hand before she could take it back to her side of the table. "I'm not ashamed of you, or Mia" he said, holding her fragile gaze. "And I wouldn't care what they think. I just don't want them to say something and hurt you" he told her, giving her a reassuring squeeze with his hand. They had said some pretty awful things to Caroline. "Besides, Damon will probably just take them to some fancy restaurant in the city, so, if I did have to go and see them, it would be for like an hour" he added. Though, he wasn't planning on it.

"He's throwing a barbecue" Elena told him.

Stefan laughed at her, until he saw that she was serious. "God help us" Stefan said, shaking his head and going back to his dinner.

"So, are you going or not?" Elena inquired.

"Undecided" Stefan replied. Did he want to deal with his parents when he finally felt really happy in his life? "So, Caroline called me today and told me you turned down her offer to go shopping on Saturday morning" he mentioned, changing the subject this time. He had been well aware that she had been doing it.

Elena shrugged. "I don't want to bring Mia with me" she said. Knowing Caroline, they would be gone most of the day.

"I can watch her" Stefan offered. Elena deserved a morning out. He could tell that she was thinking of an excuse to get out of it. "I'd like more time to bond with her. And Caroline needs this, probably more than you" he said, half serious and half joking.

Elena sighed. "Okay, but the only reason I would agree to this is because I trust you with her" she pointed out.

He smiled and shook his head. "I told you Elena, when you're ready to leave her with someone else, then we can go out" he said.

"I'll think about shopping this Saturday" she said.

"Good" he told her.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

They finished up dinner and Elena took Mia upstairs for a bath before putting her to bed. When she came back downstairs, Stefan had the dishes all put away and was sitting on the couch, watching TV. "You didn't have to do the dishes" she said, sitting down next to him.

Stefan put his arm around her and pulled her closer. "You cooked. It was only fair" he stated, kissing the top of her head.

She relaxed beside him and laced his fingers through hers. He couldn't help but stare at the nonexistent ring on her finger. He hoped one day, he could change that. "What do you want Mia to call you?" she asked suddenly, resting her chin on his shoulder so she could look at him. "Because before we know it, she's going to be talking" she added quickly.

Stefan looked at her, a bit nervously. But then he smiled, because he had been waiting for this conversation. "Daddy" he said finally. "I think every little girl should be able to call her father that."

If her heart had not already melted a million times before in his presence, it would have melted again, right there on the couch. "Do you want one of your own someday?" she asked quietly.

He shifted slightly so he could look directly into her eyes. "You mean, do I want another one?" he asked her curiously. "Because I think this one is going to keep me pretty busy for a while" he reminded her. "But maybe one day, we can have another one."

"She is incredibly lucky to have such an amazing man in her life" Elena said, placing her hand against his cheek and staring into his eyes.

"I love you both, so much" he said, his voice barely above a whisper. Elena leaned in and kissed him.

When they broke apart, Stefan wrapped her in a hug and held her close. "We love you too" she whispered against his ear. "So much."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Stefan picked up a piece of wood and measured it, marking it with a pencil before taking it to his makeshift shop and running the skill saw over it. He picked up the piece of wood and blew on it before bring it back toward the house. Mia sat in her swing on the safety of the porch, watching him.

"Well aren't you the little builder" Damon grinned, walking from the side of the house to the back where his brother was. "What are you doing?" he asked.

Stefan stopped what he was doing and looked at him. "Can I help you with something?" he asked, ignoring his brother's question.

"Nope. I just came to hang out. Caroline is out with Elena all morning and I'm bored" he explained. Stefan fought the urge to roll his eyes. Clearly his brother could have found something else to do.

"Well I am a little busy" Stefan stated.

Damon smiled. "I can see that. What are you doing?" he asked again.

Stefan sighed. "I'm building a deck" he finally told him.

"Why?" Damon asked. "You have a small porch with stairs" he pointed out.

Stefan picked up a new piece of wood and measured it. "Because Elena wants a bigger deck for a table and chairs" Stefan explained.

Damon looked surprised. "Since when does she get to tell you what to do with your house?" he asked.

Stefan sighed again. "She didn't tell me to do this. She mentioned that she liked this table and matching chairs in a magazine and they were sitting on a large deck in the back" he explained. And he would do anything to the house that Elena asked, though he wasn't going to tell Damon that.

"So you're building her a brand new, bigger deck so you can also buy the table and chairs to furnish it with?" Damon asked.

Stefan sighed, frustrated even more than he was earlier. "Look, if you're going to give me a hard time about it, then just go. I have a lot of work to do" he explained.

Damon could pretty much see that he was serious. So he just shrugged and peeled his t-shirt off, wearing just a tank top now. "Hand me that" Damon said, pointing to the piece of wood in Stefan's hand. "I'll measure and cut. You start actually putting it together" he stated, walking by and taking the wood out of Stefan's hand. "We can get a lot more done with two of us" he stated.

Stefan stared at him for a moment and wondered if this was a mistake to let his brother help. Then again, two people working on it was better than one. Maybe.

Four hours later, even with the cool breeze, both Stefan and Damon were shirtless in board shorts with sweat coating their bodies. It had become so hot out that Stefan had to put Mia back inside, though he could see her through the screen glass door and the baby monitor kept him well informed of when she needed something.

Caroline and Elena arrived home with at least ten bags on each arm. When they heard the sawing and banging noises out back, they walked around the side of the house to investigate. Caroline stopped dead in her tracks when she saw the boys and Elena bumped into her. "Holy. Damn" Caroline said slowly, raising her sunglasses to get a better look. Elena was thinking the same thing.

Both dropped their bags on the lawn and walked over to where the boys were still building away. Caroline whistled, grabbing their attention. "My my boys. Look at you all sweaty and sexy" she grinned.

Elena blushed. "What's going on?" she asked.

"Why, my baby brother is building you a big deck so you can have a table and chairs to sit out back" Damon enlightened her, throwing his arm over his brother's shoulder.

Elena's eyes brightened. "You're building a deck?" Elena asked, directing her question at Stefan. "I just said I liked the table and chairs. I didn't mean for you to build this" she said, pointing at it. It was exquisite though and it would make a very nice spot to have people over for dinner in the summer months.

Stefan shrugged, giving her a shy look. "I want you to have everything you want" he told her simply.

"That is a very dangerous statement to make to a woman …" Damon warned. Caroline glared at him and he grinned.

"I have everything I want" she told him, smiling at how his eyes lit up just by the way she looked at him when she said things like that.

"Gross" Damon said, rolling his eyes. "I gotta get out of here. Come on Caroline. Let's go home before we have to endure anymore of their puppy love antics" he said.

Caroline pinched him when he got close enough to. "How come I got stuck with the unromantic brother?" she asked. She caught Elena's eye and smiled at her. "Thank you for going with me today" she called out as Damon grabbed her bags and tossed her over his shoulder. She waved goodbye to them, all the while laughing.

Elena stepped closer, admiring Stefan's work. "This looks beautiful" she said, running her hands along the smooth wood.

"It's not finished, but I should have it done soon" he told her, stepping off the deck and approaching her. "So, what did you buy?" he asked.

"A few new outfits, a book, and some things for Mia" she answered, taking his credit card out of her purse and handing it back to him. "Thank you" she smiled.

Stefan pocketed the card and pulled her into his arms, ignoring the fact that he was a sweaty mess. "If you're happy, I'm happy" he told her, smiling as he bent down to kiss her.

"I'm very happy" she added, smiling as she looked past him at Mia in the doorway. "Was she good for you?" Elena asked.

"She always is" Stefan smiled, glancing over at her. "She helped me more than Damon did" he grinned.

"Yeah, how so?" Elena asked as Stefan wrapped his arm around her and walked with her inside.

"She has just enough cuteness to stop me from punching my brother" he told her. "Because believe me, I wanted to a few times."

Elena smiled as she bent down to get Mia out of her swing. "He loves you, you know" Elena told him. "You remember that" she added, reaching up on her tip toes to kiss him. "Now go shower. You're sweaty" she said.

Stefan grinned. "Okay" he told her. "After I bring your bags in" he added, heading back outside.

"You don't have to do that" Elena said. She was perfectly capable of getting them herself.

Stefan smiled. "When it comes to you, Elena. It's not about having, it's about wanting" he enlightened her, giving her his sexy, yet romantic smile as he disappeared out the back.

Elena looked at Mia and smiled. "I think we got really lucky with that one" she said, kissing Mia's head softly. "Extremely lucky."

**A/N: The bracelet is real, with a few modifications. I found it in this extremely expensive baby boutique on my last vacation and I about passed out on the floor when I saw the price and began to realize that there might be someone out there willing to pay that and let a baby wear it! But it was so beautiful. **

**Anyway, leave me a tweet ( TVDVampireKat) or a review and tell me what you thought of the update!**


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: I wanted to let you all know that I will be gone all next week on vacation, so this will be the last update for this story until I return. I will update Until Never Means Forever once more before I leave :D**

**Thank you for your support for this story! Do let me know what you thought about it, please.**

"Hi" Elena said as she heard Stefan come in. She was looking at her laptop when Stefan walked into the room.

"What are you doing?" he asked, plopping down on the couch next to her.

"I took Mia to have her photos done. I got the proofs on a CD and I can't decide which ones I want to buy" she sighed. "You choose" she said, passing him the laptop.

Stefan opened up the slideshow view and scrolled through some of them. Elena moved closer to him, leaning over him slightly to comment on the photos. "Is she pooping in this one?" Stefan asked. "She's kind of got the poop face going on" he added, grinning widely.

"Yeah, not her best one out of the bunch" Elena laughed. "That's a no for that one."

"What?" he asked in disbelief. "No way! I want this one framed for my desk at work" he told her.

"You want that to be the first picture that people see when they come into your office?" she asked, laughing at him.

"Maybe not the first picture" he agreed. He flipped through some more. "I like them all. Get a couple copies of all of them and some bigger ones for the house" he told her. "We'll hang them up."

"Okay" she agreed. "I also wanted to ask you something" she said, putting her laptop back on the table. He turned to give her his undivided attention. "The same photographer wants to do some family portraits in the park next weekend. "Mia, me, and you, if you want to come with us" she said. She felt like it was a big step, one that would push them that much closer to really being a family.

Stefan put his arm around her and gave her a squeeze. "Yes, I want to" he told her.

"Good" she smiled, giving him a quick kiss on his cheek before moving away from him.

"Wait" he said, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her back down on the couch. "Where are you going?" he asked, leaning over her, pushing her slowly until she was on her back, looking up at him.

"To make dinner" she smiled.

Stefan bent down and kissed her lips slowly. "Let's order in" he said, inching his hands up under her shirt. "Anything you want" he added, kissing her again.

Elena ran her fingers up along his arm. "Why don't you choose" she offered. "You let me choose last time, and the time before that, and probably every time before that too" she reminded.

"I like whatever you like" he told her honestly.

She looked up at him with those innocent, beautiful brown eyes and he knew right then that she could ask for anything and he would give it to her. That hadn't changed since they were five. "You choose" she said quietly, anticipating him bending down to kiss her again. She sure hoped that he would.

"Mediterranean" he said finally. "There's a great place that delivers" he added. He waited for her approval.

"The same place you took me for my seventeenth birthday?" she asked. The first time he had driven her into the city – the first time her parents had let him. Usually, he had to stick to Mystic Falls or some of the small towns nearby. She had been thrilled to get to drive with him in the Porsche he had gotten for his birthday months earlier.

His eyes lit up at her recognition. "Yes" he said, quite amused now. "You have quite the memory."

"Seven years isn't long enough to forget" she said softly.

Stefan retrieved his hand from up under her shirt and grabbed her hand. "No amount of time would be long enough to forget anything with you" he said, bending down to kiss her once more.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Stefan set his cup of coffee on the counter and went to answer the door the next morning. Elena had been up all night with Mia and had fallen back asleep. He was getting ready for work. He swung the door open to see a very angry and upset looking Jenna. He opened his mouth to say hello, but thought better of it and kept it shut.

"Where is she?" Jenna asked in a low, angry voice. She looked deadly.

"Sleeping" Stefan answered nervously. Jenna went to step around him to go inside, but Stefan blocked her path. He regretted it. "I understand that you are angry, but I can't let you in if you are going to say or do something that will upset her" he said in one breath.

Jenna's angry expression studied him for a moment. "Stefan Salvatore, move. Now" she warned.

He crumped like a piece of paper. "Yes ma'am" he said quietly, moving aside.

Jenna whisked past him, on a mission to find her niece and give her a piece of her mind. "Where is she?" Jenna asked, going in search of her. She stopped still when she entered the living area and saw a pair of little brown eyes staring at her.

Tears instantly fell from Jenna's eyes as she looked at the baby just across the room from her. "Oh God" she said, covering her mouth with her hand. She turned around to look at Stefan, all traces of anger completely gone. Just like that.

Stefan walked past Jenna whose feet were planted where she had stopped. He picked Mia up out of her swing and walked over to Jenna. "Jenna, this is Mia" he said softly.

No words came to her for a few moments as she looked at the little girl in his arms. "Oh Stefan, she's perfect" Jenna said finally, reaching her arms out and taking the little girl from Stefan. She took a seat on the couch and got a better look at the baby in her arms. "She looks just like Elena at this age" Jenna said, remembering the first time she had been able to hold Elena, twenty four years ago. Then, a small sob escaped her. "Why didn't she tell me?" Jenna asked, her betrayed and hurt eyes penetrating his.

"Because I was scared" came Elena's voice, soft and hesitant. They both looked behind them to see Elena standing in the doorway. "I didn't want to tell Stefan either, but I assumed he would figure it out eventually if we were going to spend time together" she added, remaining where she was.

"But you told your brother" Jenna said, not bothering to hide the hurt in her voice.

"I tell Jeremy everything" Elena said gently. "And I needed someone to talk to." Jeremy always made everything better somehow.

"You could have talked to me" Jenna said, her voice exasperated as she stood. "I would have helped you – you didn't have to do it alone" she told her, wiping at her tears so they didn't fall on Mia.

Elena smiled, though she was on the brink of tears herself. She walked into the room and looked at Stefan. "I wasn't alone" she said, looking briefly at Jenna. "I'm not alone" she added.

Stefan smiled proudly, loving the fact that she was talking about him. He grabbed her hand and pulled her into a hug. "I love you" he whispered.

Jenna burst into more tears. "You two are just as adorable as you were back then" she said, shuffling her way over to them with Mia. She engaged them in a group hug, careful not to squish the baby. "I'm still so mad at you Elena" she said. "You too, for not telling me" she added, looking up and pointing her finger at Stefan. "But I can't stay mad if I get to look at such a beautiful family" she sighed. Jenna pulled herself away from the group hug and grabbed her purse, heading out of the room.

"Umm, Jenna. Where are you going?" Elena asked.

"I'm stealing your baby" Jenna called from the other room. Before they knew it, the front door had opened and then closed.

Stefan and Elena both looked at each other and laughed lightly. Yes, she was a baby worth stealing. "You'd better make sure she doesn't get too far" Stefan said, giving Elena a push forward. "I have to get to work."

"You're leaving me here alone with her?" Elena said, nearly gaping at him.

"You'll be fine" he assured her, grabbing his briefcase. "Just don't let her take my baby" he said, rushing to her and giving her a kiss on her forehead. "See you tonight."

"Our baby!" Elena grinned, calling after him. _Our baby_. She liked the sound of that.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"If I had a car here, I would have been long gone by now" Jenna said, rocking Mia in her arms. "I love her."

"We love her too" Elena smiled, folding some of Mia's clothes.

"Stefan seems to have just fallen right into place with you two" Jenna mentioned.

"He wanted this so much, for us to be a family. I really lucked out with running into him. It's hard for me to picture myself right now without him" he said, picking up one of Mia's dresses to hang up.

"Stefan always doted on you" Jenna smiled. "I remember" she said, having to stop for a moment to laugh. "When I would come over, and I would be at the kitchen sink looking out the window, and I would see you walk by and Stefan would be following you. You would walk back and forth across the yard, and he would be following you, back and forth" she said, reminiscing. "And if I took you two to the park, he would always stick to you like glue, even if there were other boys at the park to play with." Jenna switched Mia to her other arm and grabbed her hand. "Then there was that one time, remember? When he got suspended for punching that guy at school who was bothering you" she added proudly. "Always the protector, that one" she added, remembering how he almost didn't let her into his house earlier.

"I don't think I have a single childhood memory without him in it" Elena said fondly.

"You two were inseparable" Jenna agreed. She put Mia down in her crib and sighed. "When have I ever made you feel like you couldn't talk to me about anything?" Jenna asked, switching gears.

"I disappointed myself, Jenna" Elena said sadly. "I'm not that girl who gets drunk and sleeps with some random guy. I just … I just didn't want to disappoint you too. And the longer I kept it from you, the easier it became" she explained. "Like I said, I probably wouldn't have told Stefan had I not ran into him."

Jenna stared at her for a minute, contemplating telling her niece something. "I got married when I was 18" she said suddenly. Elena looked at her in disbelief. "Yep. I was just a stupid kid and I met this guy who said he loved me. One week later, we flew to Atlantic City and got married" she explained. "It didn't take long to realize that it was a mistake. He was immature. I was immature. It never would have worked. So, we got divorced. I never told anyone. Not even your mom" she said.

Elena was quiet for a moment before she spoke. "She would have supported you, no matter what" Elena said quietly.

"I know she would have. But the thought of telling her or anyone that I did that was unbearable" she said. "The point is, Elena. We screw up, and then we move on. We don't have to stay stuck in our mistakes. Lord knows I didn't. I divorced him, went to school, met Alaric …" she said. "You, have a beautiful daughter and Stefan. I'd say you've done pretty well for yourself."

Elena didn't know whether to laugh or cry, so she did a little of both. "I'm sorry, Jenna. Truly, I am" Elena said.

"All is forgiven" Jenna said, pulling Elena into a hug. "You are my pride and joy. I could never be disappointed in you, okay?" she said.

"Thank you" Elena said, hugging her aunt tighter. "I'm so glad you're here."

Jenna sighed. "Don't be too glad for much longer. I have to leave tomorrow" she said, pulling away from Elena. Elena frowned. These short visits were not working for her. "When is that brother of yours getting in?" she asked.

"Six more days" Elena said, counting down. "I miss him."

"I miss him too" Jenna said, brushing a tear off of Elena's cheek. She stood up straight and smiled. "Let's go out for lunch. I feel like getting out of the house" she announced. Elena smiled, nodding her head in agreement.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXX**

It had been a few days since Jenna had gone back to Colorado, promising to be back soon, with Alaric. Elena was missing her already. Stefan had done everything he could to take her mind off of it, including little presents that reminded him of her and massages. She felt like she was being spoiled, and he assured her that she was.

"You sure you want to do this?" Stefan asked nervously as they stood at Damon's front door.

Elena held Mia close to her and nodded. "I love barbeques" she grinned, hiding her own nervousness.

"Okay" Stefan said, opening the front door and allowing her to go in first. The house was quiet, so Stefan and Elena made their way out back to where the little get-together was taking place. Sure enough, Mr. and Mrs. Salvatore were sitting outside under the large umbrella, sipping from a glass of expensive wine. Stefan wanted to roll his eyes. Why couldn't his brother have taken them out to a nice restaurant?

The Salvatores looked a bit out of place, dressed in their fancy formal wear and sitting on hard patio chairs. Damon was at the grill and poor Caroline was running around, making sure that everything was to their liking. "Stefan!" Mrs. Salvatore called, getting up and doing her fancy little running walk over to him. She engulfed him in a hug and kissed each side of his face multiple times. "Finally my sensible son is here. Your brother has lost his mind" she whispered harshly. "Making us sit out here and eat with the bugs like a pack of wild animals!" she added harshly.

It was then that she noticed Elena standing behind Stefan, and she wasn't alone. "Hello, Mrs. Salvatore" Elena said politely.

"Mother, you remember Elena" Stefan said, stepping aside so he was no longer blocking Elena.

His mother gaped at him in utter shock. But remembering her manners, she quickly smiled politely. "Elena, dear, so lovely to see you again" she said. "Who is this?" she asked, waving her hand at the baby.

"This is my daughter, Mia" Elena answered.

"Daughter" she said. "You're not married?" Mrs. Salvatore asked before she could stop herself. She had checked Elena's hand several times for a ring.

"Mother" Stefan warned, not liking her judgmental tone one bit. "Elena and I are living together, raising Mia" Stefan enlightened her.

"You got her pregnant and didn't marry her?" Mrs. Salvatore asked in utmost horror.

"Mia is not his biological daughter" Elena said, cutting to the chase. Either way, this wasn't going to end well.

Mrs. Salvatore turned pale as she once again gaped at her son. "Oh for heaven's sakes" she cried out. "I … I need water. I feel rather faint" she said, placing her hand over her forehead and staggering just a bit. "Giuseppe! Come quick!" she all of a sudden screeched.

Stefan looked at Elena with pure mortification at his mother's behavior. "What is it darling?" Giuseppe asked, coming to his wife's side. He looked at his son and then at Elena. "What's this?" he asked.

"He's taking care of another man's baby!" his wife cried out. "Oh, God. And we thought Damon was the disgrace in the family, having married that Gold-digger in Vegas" she said in agony. "But now our precious Stefan has gone and found himself one with a baby!" she continued to cry out.

"Mother!" Stefan said, raising his voice and surprising them all. "You don't get to talk about Elena like that" he warned. "I love her. I love this baby. And we don't have to explain ourselves to you" he said, wondering where all of his courage had come from all of a sudden.

Elena stood stalk still, feeling as though she wanted to run with Mia. But Stefan standing up for her like that was sexy as hell too.

"It's okay, dear. We will have Elena sign a prenuptial agreement if they decide to get married" Giuseppe said, trying to reassure his wife.

"Elena won't be signing anything" Stefan said matter of factly. What was his, was now Elena's. Marriage or not. That was the way it was for him.

"No" his mother said, shaking her head. "I will not watch another son ruin his life because some tramp weaseled her way into his life!" she shouted, causing Mia to finally cry.

"That is enough!" Damon warned, standing behind them in his chef apron and holding up a spatula. "First, you insult me and my wife, then my brother and his … Elena … and now you've made my niece cry!" he said angrily. "I want you to leave. Both of you. And don't come back until you can say something nice to all of us."

His parents both stared at him in disbelief. "It will be my pleasure to get away from this circus!" his mother yelled. "You both disgrace this family" she said angrily, grabbing her husband's arm and pulling him towards the house.

Elena and Caroline both stared at each other, both surprised, but somewhat relieved too.

Stefan grabbed Elena's hand and squeezed it briefly before following is parents into the house. He wasn't quite done with them just yet. "Mother" he said, catching them before they went out of the front door.

She stopped and turned to look at him. "I just want what is best for you, Stefan" she said, attempting to be the concerned mother she had never been.

"Elena is what is best for me. She's always been what is best for me. If you were around more when I was growing up, you would know that" he said, looking first at his mother and then at his father. "I guess Mia doesn't get any grandparents at all" he said, stepping back. "No marriage is perfect. No family is perfect. So stop judging us. All of us" he said, turning to go back outside.

When Stefan did return outside, he found Elena sitting in a vacated chair, rocking Mia who was still crying. He felt awful. He should have never subjected her to that. Neither one of them. "Are they gone?" Elena asked.

"I sure hope so" Stefan sighed, sitting down next to her. "Is she going to be okay?" he asked.

"Yeah" Elena said. "She's just a little fussy. She doesn't like fighting" she added, picking up on her daughter's sensitivity. Then again, Mia had never been around it. And Elena never wanted her to be around it.

"I don't like it either" Stefan agreed. "Here, let me try" he said, grabbing Mia and propping her up in his arms. "Don't cry, sweetheart. I got rid of the mean people" he said. She stopped crying instantly and watched him.

"How do you do that?" Elena asked, smiling in awe. Stefan shrugged, though he was giddy with pride that he had that effect on Mia. It was true. Whenever she was fussy or crying, she stopped as soon as she was in Stefan's arms. "Thank you, for standing up for me" she said quietly, placing her hand on his arm.

"They don't get to take away our happiness" he said, passing Mia back to Elena. "No one talks that away about my girls" he added softly before leaning over and placing a kiss against her temple.

Caroline returned with the appetizers that never had the chance to be served. "Are you okay?" Elena asked her. She had some pretty hurtful things said about her too.

Caroline smiled brightly, refusing to let anyone see her hurt feelings if she had them. "Oh, I'm used to it" she said, waving it off. "But, it was nice to see the boys stick up for us" she said, smiling at Stefan before looking at Damon. "You two should eat up. We are going to have a lot of food now" she winked, heading back inside for more drinks.

"Way to go little brother" Damon called, giving Stefan a thumbs up from the grill. "About time you stood up to Mom and Dad" he added.

Stefan smiled, but Elena wondered if there was some regret mixed in there for him. After all, they were his parents. "I'm sorry you had to go through that" she said, placing her hand on his knee. He knew she was worried about him not having his parents in his life.

He grabbed her hand and shook his head. "They were never there for me, Elena. You know that. When they are ready to apologize to all of us, then we can talk" he said, squeezing her hand. "Until then, I am quite content with you and Mia" he said.

"But if you ever do want to talk about it …" she ventured, right before his lips were on hers.

"Get a room!" Damon called from the grill, shielding his eyes.

"Leave them alone!" Caroline told him, walking over to him and handing him a plate. "They're in love" she smiled, watching them. "They are so in love."


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: I am back! Thank you for your patience. I had a nice time away and I am ready to get back to writing. **

**Please do tell me what you think! Again, thank you for your support and waiting this whole time for an update. **

"Uh huh. Okay. Really? Okay. Okay. Yeah. Uh huh. Yeah. Okay" Stefan heard her say as she hung up. She was giddy and full of excitement as she walked, no, practically bounded, into the bedroom. She was all smiles and her eyes were brighter than he had seen them in some time. She was still clutching her cellphone in her hand when she smiled even brighter for him.

"Well?" Stefan asked, sitting on the edge of the bed and waiting for her to let her excitement out before she burst.

She attempted to give him the news in a calm matter, but as soon as her mouth opened, all attempts had failed. "He'll be here tomorrow!" she nearly squealed with excitement as she leapt towards him, throwing her arms around him. He caught her and let them both fall back on the bed. She closed her eyes and took a slow, calming breath as he watched her. "I have been waiting all year for this" she said, opening one eye to look at him.

He was smiling at her. Possibly laughing at her a little too. "I love seeing you so happy" he said, leaning down and kissing her slowly. She smiled against his lips, loving and knowing that he meant what he had just said. "When will he be in?" Stefan asked after a moment of reluctantly holding off on kissing her again.

"About 1:30" she said. "I'm going to pick him up and take him to his hotel to shower and then we will go and have lunch" she explained.

Stefan sat up some. "Hotel?" he asked. "Jeremy can stay with us" he pointed out.

"I know" Elena told him. "I offered, but he said he would rather stay at a hotel" she shrugged.

"Well at least bring him by for dinner tomorrow" Stefan said, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. Stefan had pretty much grown up with Jeremy too. He had been that annoying younger brother, always teasing Elena and making fun of Stefan whenever he got the chance. But Stefan had watched him grow up and had to admit, he was pretty proud of him, especially since he stuck by his sister. Though, there were plenty of times after the death of their parents that Stefan had had to put Jeremy in his place when he had stepped out of line. Usually it involved Elena, as Stefan always stepped in when she was upset. But despite all of that, Stefan thought he had an okay relationship with Jeremy.

Elena wrapped her arms around his neck. "I will" she promised. "I can't wait for him to see her" she smiled. Jeremy meeting Mia was something she had been looking forward to the most.

Stefan smiled. "He will love her" he assured her.

Elena sighed. "I know he will" she said. Then another hint of a smile showed. "She's hard not to love."

"Just like her mom" Stefan added, leaning down to kiss her forehead. "I love you" he said, whispering into her ear.

Elena wrapped her arms around him a little more, bringing him closer. "I love you, too" she whispered back.

Stefan smiled and placed a kiss on her shoulder. "Do you still have that little silky blue nightgown you used to wear?" he asked, somewhat amused by his own question. Never in a million years would he have thought he would be asking that question while preparing a slow, sensual make out session with her.

Elena laughed. "Stefan!" scolded. "You were only allowed to see me in that because you were my friend and not some guy trying to get me out of it" she reminded. And it had only been a few times that he had seen her in it. Normally, she had a robe on.

"I only ask because I thought you looked really great in it" he said innocently, placing a kiss on the inside of her arm.

"And I don't look great in shorts and a t-shirt?" she asked.

He kissed near her elbow and smiled. "You would look better in my t-shirt" he said, skimming her sides with his fingers.

"Really" Elena said, raising her eyebrow at him. He nodded, smiling at her. It was new for him, talking in a somewhat flirty matter with her. But she was going along with it and so was he. "Well" she said, sitting up. He moved back some, following her lead. Elena grabbed the hem of his shirt and slowly began to lift it up. She blushed slightly as she caught sight of his sculpted chest. How many times would she have to see it and/or touch it for her not to blush? When the shirt came off of his head, she began to take her own shirt off.

"Let me help" he offered, grabbing the hem of her own shirt and slowly pulling it over her head. He got it caught on her head, and after a good laugh, they were able to get it off.

She grabbed his shirt and slipped it on over her head, tossing her own shirt onto the ground next to the bed. "Better?" she asked him.

Stefan looked her over and nodded approvingly. "Much" he said, moving in to kiss her as he lowered her back to the bed.

**XXXXXXXXXXXX**

Elena waited anxiously for Jeremy. The airport was loud and busy and she began to wonder if she should have left Mia with Caroline. But she really wanted Jeremy to meet Mia. She just couldn't wait. "Are you ready to meet Uncle Jeremy?" Elena asked her sleepy little baby.

"I'm ready to meet her" Jeremy said from behind Elena, surprising her.

Elena turned around to see Jeremy smiling brightly. Although he looked tired, he looked thrilled to see her. "Jer" she said, both excited and relieved to see her brother.

Jeremy scooped her and Mia into a hug. "Missed you Sis" he said, kissing the side of her face. When he let go of them, he turned his attention to the baby girl in his sister's arms. "Hi, Mia" he said, running his finger over her hand. "You are one beautiful girl" he added, looking towards his sister. "You done good, Sis" he told her proudly. "She's perfect."

Elena couldn't help but cry. She had been waiting for this moment for almost nine months. "Thank you" she told him.

"Stop with the crying" Jeremy told her teasingly. "And give me the baby" he added, taking Mia out of Elena's arms. "Hi you" he said, kissing her forehead. Mia looked at him for a moment before she started to fuss. Jeremy frowned.

"She's tired. I'll put her down for a nap when we get to the hotel while you get ready" she told him, taking Mia back.

"Does she fuss like that with everyone?" Jeremy asked, grabbing his bag and following Elena out of the airport.

Elena laughed. "Everyone but Stefan" Elena answered. "She can be in an all-out screaming rant and as soon as she is in his arms, she stops immediately" she explained as they went in search for the car.

"So how is that going, you and Mia living with him?" Jeremy asked.

"Really great, actually" Elena told him, opening up the car door to put Mia inside.

"Yeah?" Jeremy asked, tossing his bag in the trunk before getting into the car.

"Yeah" Elena answered. "He would like you to come over for dinner tonight" she mentioned as she got in the car.

"I kind of just wanted a quiet night in" Jeremy mentioned, playing with her radio to get better music on. "Jeez, are you listening to music that our grandma used to listen to?" he asked.

Elena glared at him momentarily. "It would be quiet" Elena told him. "Just the four of us" she promised. "Please?" she asked, sticking out her bottom lip for added effect.

Jeremy sighed. "Fine" he told her.

Elena smiled triumphantly. "Good" she stated as she backed out of her parking spot.

"Are you even looking where you are going?" Jeremy asked. Elena glared at him for a second time. "I didn't think so. Clearly Stefan did a horrible job teaching you how to drive" Jeremy mumbled.

Elena smacked him in the knee. "Stefan did a fine job teaching me how to drive. I am a great driver" she told him, focusing on backing up again.

"If you say so" Jeremy smiled, hoping to avoid another slap from her.

"You're not funny" Elena told him, though she was smiling now too. It was good to have her annoying, obnoxious brother back. Really good.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Jeremy sat at the table across from Stefan as Elena set their plates in front of them before heading back to the kitchen. Jeremy stared at his plate, trying to decide what it was. Chicken? Fish? "Is this safe to eat?" Jeremy asked Stefan from across the table.

Even Stefan looked skeptical, but he put on a brave face. "Everything she's made since she moved in has been safe. I can't vouch for this though" Stefan answered, pointing to his own plate.

Elena returned moments later with one more dish. Carrots. Jeremy sighed with relief. He knew what those were. "Everything okay?" Elena asked, looking between her brother and Stefan.

Stefan quickly nodded. "This all looks great" he smiled, helping himself to the carrots.

Jeremy grinned. After all these years, Stefan was still dead set on appeasing Elena. Jeremy had never operated that way though. "Elena, what the hell is this?" Jeremy asked, poking whatever it was with his fork in a cautious manner.

Stefan let the carrots from his fork drop as he froze. He couldn't believe Jeremy had just asked that. Well, yes, he could actually. Stefan quickly looked to Elena for her reaction. Was she going to cry? Get mad at him?

Elena seemed to pause for a moment before composing herself. "Chicken, Jeremy" she told him. "And to answer your earlier question, yes, it is safe to eat" she added, eyeing both boys.

Jeremy laughed while Stefan looked utterly guilty. "Come on, Sis. I remember all those times you tried to feed me burnt macaroni and cheese. You can't blame me for being concerned" he told her, taking a bite out of his chicken. "Not bad" he concluded.

"I haven't killed you yet with my cooking" Elena said, winking at Stefan to lighten the mood. He felt himself sigh with relief. "So, Jer, why don't you tell Stefan what your plans are" Elena suggested.

"Marry a rich woman and spend my days by the pool with a cold beer" Jeremy announced.

Stefan found his answer quite funny while Elena was less amused. "Why don't you tell him about plan B, you know, just in case your woman isn't as rich as you had hoped" Elena told him.

Jeremy shrugged. "I start school here in the city in August" he said.

"Have you thought about where you are going to stay yet?" Elena asked him.

"Mystic Falls. We still own the house" Jeremy said, taking another bite of his food.

Elena stopped eating. She hadn't been back there in a while. "That's quite the commute, especially if you have class everyday" Elena said, concerned.

Jeremy shrugged. "I'll make it work."

"What about a job?" she asked.

Jeremy let his fork drop on his plate. "Damn Elena. What is this, 20 questions?" he asked her. "I don't know what my plans are. I'll figure them out as I go" he stated.

Stefan grabbed Elena's hand under the table when she saw how hurt she looked. But Elena stood and he had to let go. "I'm going to check on Mia" she stated, turning and leaving the room.

Jeremy sighed and ran his hands through his hair. "Great" he muttered.

"She's just overwhelmed. She worries about you" Stefan said, attempting to make the situation better.

"I think I know my sister, Stefan. But thanks for your unrequested opinion" Jeremy said, slightly annoyed and irritated with Stefan. Jeremy got up from the table and went in search of his sister. Stefan remained where he was, not wanting to make the situation any worse than he already had.

Jeremy went upstairs and wandered down the hall in search of Elena. He found her in what looked like a guest room. "I'm sorry, Elena. I'm just tired and cranky" he told her, wrapping his arms around her.

"I'm sorry too. I just worry about you" she told him. Jeremy frowned. He hated when Stefan was right.

"I'm going to be alright" he told her. "I always am … eventually" he said, smiling at his own joke.

She laughed though. "Come on. Let's finish dinner" she told him, wrapping her arm around him and leading him back downstairs.

Dinner finished off nicely. The conversation was kept light and Jeremy seemed to relax as the night wore on. "Are you sure you don't want to stay here?" Elena asked.

"No. I will be just fine at the hotel" he said, putting his shoes on. "I love you. I will see you tomorrow" he told her, pulling her into a hug.

"Okay. Goodnight" she told him, regretfully letting him leave.

Jeremy found Stefan sitting on the porch steps looking out. Jeremy sat down next to him. "I still remember when you took me to the batting cages after my parents died and just let me take out all of my anger on the balls with the bat" he said quietly. "And when you kicked my ass after Elena caught me using drugs" he added. Stefan nodded. He remembered too. "I'm going to get my parent's house back in order to live there. I just wanted to say thank you, for taking care of Elena and Mia while I was away. But now that I'm back, I can look after them. They can come live with me in Mystic Falls" he said, as though he had put a lot of thought into it.

Stefan frowned at the thought of Elena and Mia leaving. He had grown so used to getting a fussy Mia out of her crib at six in the morning and getting his coffee and kiss from a sleepy Elena just before he left for work. Not to mention, seeing them both when he walked in the door after a long day at work. "I love them" Stefan said, continuing to look out into the dark night. "If Elena is happy being here, with me, then I want her to stay here" he continued.

"Look, I get that you love my sister and have had this ridiculous crush on her since you guys were kids" Jeremy told him. "But things are different now. She has a baby. You shouldn't feel like you have to support them. I can do that now" Jeremy said, turning to look at Stefan.

"I don't feel like I have to do anything" Stefan stated firmly. "Elena and Mia are my family. I intend to make that official one day, but for right now, them living with me makes sense, for all of us. So, while I appreciate your concern, just know that Elena and Mia are safe, happy, and loved right where they are" he finished.

Jeremy didn't quite know what to say to that. "You seem pretty confident with your answer" Jeremy finally said. "You really like being woken up at all hours and being spit up on?" he asked, cocking his head to the side slightly.

Stefan smiled. "I love it all" he answered. He turned to Jeremy and placed his hand on his shoulder. "I don't want you to worry. Your sister and niece have my full attention. You just focus on school" he said. Jeremy nodded. He could do that. "Come on. Let me give you a ride back to the hotel" Stefan said, standing with Jeremy.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

Elena checked her watch as she exited the elevator. She had just finished up with Mia's appointment. She hoped that Stefan would be in his office so she could let him know how everything had gone before she met up with Jeremy to help him set up their parent's house.

When Elena finally reached his office, she could hear him laughing. And then a woman laughing. Elena stood just outside the door and peered in to see Stefan sitting at his desk and an attractive blonde sitting on it. "Belize was amazing. You should go sometime" the blonde said. Elena couldn't hear Stefan's response, but whatever it was had the blonde touching his shoulder and laughing. Stefan was laughing too.

Elena couldn't take any more of what she was seeing or hearing, so she readjusted Mia in her arms and headed back down the hall. A few hot, angry tears rolled down her cheeks, but she quickly wiped them away. If Stefan wanted to flirt with the pretty blonde, that was just fine by Elena. Hell, he might as well have been sleeping with her too.

Stefan bid the nurse farewell as he shut his office door and walked over to his window. He had a few more hours until his lunch break. When he stopped by his window before sitting back down, he squinted to get a better look at the woman walking hurriedly across the parking lot. Then he saw it was Elena, holding Mia. It dawned on him that Mia had her checkup appointment that morning. What baffled Stefan was why Elena had not stopped by to see him.

Stefan pulled out his phone and dialed her number before she reached her car. He watched Elena dig her phone out of her pocket, check the caller id, and then reject the call before slipping the phone back into her pocket. Elena continued on her way to her car. Stefan left her a short voice message, all the while confused as to why she had rejected his call.

Stefan sat down, tapping his fingers against his desk. He sent her a text asking her if she was okay and waited a few minutes. Still no reply. He tapped his fingers some more. Something was bothering her and he would have to wait until after work to find out.

**A/N: Looks like someone will be sleeping on the couch …**


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: Back from vacation and happy to be writing again! Thank you for all of the reviews while I was gone. I truly appreciate your dedication :)**

Stefan came home prepared with flowers and the little peppermint candies that Elena loved. When he walked into the house, it was relatively quiet except for the faint noise of Mia's swing rocking. Stefan knew Elena was nearby, so he put the flowers and candy down. Mia was staring at him, making spit bubbles as per usual. He slipped off his jacket and bent down to pick her up. "Hi" he whispered, planting a big kiss on the side of her head. "I missed you" he added, rocking her gently.

The sound of hurried footsteps could be heard coming around the corner. Elena was in front of him before he knew it, taking Mia out of his arms. "She needs a bath" Elena said curtly, taking Mia and beginning to leave.

"I can give her a bath" Stefan offered, knowing it was no use. Elena was still mad about something and out of the room by the time he finished is sentence. He sighed, kicked off his shoes, loosened his tie, and went in search for something to drink.

He sat in his chair for about an hour, waiting for Elena to come back downstairs. The longer he waited, the more he began to worry. What had he done? Was this even about him? Stefan tapped his fingers against his glass. Ten more minutes passed before he gave up and went upstairs to find her.

She wasn't in his room. Their room. She was, however, in what he considered the guest bedroom, or her former room. She was folding clothes, both hers and Mia's. Stefan leaned against the doorway and watched her. "Do you want to talk about it?" he asked.

Elena picked up one of Mia's shirts and folded it neatly. "Talk about what?" she asked with a hint of irritancy in her voice.

"Whatever it is that has you so upset" Stefan answered.

"I'm not upset" Elena answered, more irritated than she was before.

"I think I've known you long enough to know when you're upset or not" he answered, entirely too tired to have this conversation with her but knowing that it had to be had.

Elena knew her options. She could be avoidant and tell him again that she was not upset. She could act like a responsible adult in a committed relationship and tell him why she was upset. Or, she could be confrontational and throw a complete curveball at him. "Are you sleeping with her?" Elena asked, taking option number three. Her back was still turned to him as she continued to fold more clothes.

Stefan stared at the back of her with disbelief. "I'm going to pretend like you did not just ask me that" he told her firmly.

Elena turned around sharply. "All I need is a simple yes or no answer, Stefan" she told him angrily, but he could tell that deep down, she was clearly at the brink of tears.

"I don't know who you are talking about, first of all" he told her defensively. "But no, I'm not sleeping with anyone, Elena" he said, his tone testing her just enough to see if she would fire back.

"I saw you with that nurse" Elena said accusingly. The little light bulb finally clicked on for him. Rebekah. She must have seen them together at the hospital. "You looked pretty cozy with her" Elena mentioned, her anger still present but her fight to keep her tears back was becoming weaker.

Stefan sighed. "I work with her, Elena" Stefan told her. "And yeah, we dated for a couple of months, but it was nothing serious" he admitted.

Elena felt like she had been punched in the stomach. He was flirting with an ex. And not just any ex. An attractive blond ex. Quickly, she grabbed a handful of clothes and attempted to leave the room, having no desire to be anywhere near him. Stefan stepped in front of her though, blocking her path. "She wasn't you" he said quietly, locking his eyes with hers. "And whatever you saw, it was harmless. She flirts with everyone and I try and be friendly because we work together" he explained.

Elena turned away from him, allowing her anger to take over. She quickly walked around him, leaving him somewhat angry that she would run away from their conversation like that. He waited for her to come back down the hall, but she was determined to not talk to him. "Damnit Elena" he said, following after her as she went down the stairs. He caught her by the arm at the base of the stairs, turning her to face him. "What do I have to do to prove to you that I want to be with you?" he asked angrily, searching her eyes. "Because I'm tired of this, Elena. I am sick and tired of you doubting me. Doubting us" he said, watching her eyes gloss over. She was going to cry. He hated when she cried. "What do you want, Elena?" he asked, calmly this time.

"What do I want?" she asked, repeating the question. "What I want, Stefan, is to make sure that Mia is taken care of. I want her to know that she is loved and that she is safe. I need to know that she's not going to get hurt because of my choices" Elena told him as that wall she had carefully put up earlier started to cave in. "This, right now, how I am acting?" she asked, pointing to herself. "This is not okay, Stefan. I am not okay. Mia shouldn't have to have a mother who is insecure and anxious and who assumes the worst about a lot of things" she said as her voice slowly began to sound shaky.

Stefan stared at her for a long moment before responding. "So what are you saying?" he asked. He needed her to just say it and get it over with.

Elena took a shallow, shaky breath, still very much aware of how close he was to her. "I'm going to stay with Jeremy for a little while" she answered, feeling her own confidence slowly fade as she watched the pain and betrayal sweep across his tired face. "He needs help with the house and I need some space" she added.

Stefan stepped back from her, letting her arm go. "You're going to take her from the only home she knows?" he asked in disbelief. Elena looked away from him, ashamed to even address that question. Yes, she was going to. "And I don't get any say in this" he guessed.

"She's my daughter" Elena said quietly, afraid that her voice would fail her if she spoke any louder.

"She's mine too!" Stefan said suddenly, raising his voice at her. "I change her diapers, I feed her, rock her to sleep. I get up with her in the middle of the night and make sure she is okay. I do everything that a dad is supposed to do Elena!" he said, continuing to keep his voice loud. "I …" he began, suddenly caught up in his emotions. He blinked back a few tears. "I do all of that, because I love her" he said, much more calmly this time. "I love her, and you're … you're just going to take her from me? Because I'm not good enough? Because I can't make you feel safe or secure or whatever else it is that I can't give you?" he asked, angrily wiping the tears off of his face.

Elena stood stalk still, crying silently with him. She was slowly destroying him, she realized. And in the process, she was destroying herself. It was proof, she told herself, that she needed to get away. The distance would do them both good.

Seeing that she wasn't going to say anything, he turned around and slowly went up the stairs. His whole body sagged now as he walked, clearly exhausted and beat down by their arguments. She quickly walked to the living area and sat down on the couch, burying her face in her hands.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_December 18__th__, 2006_

"_So what did you get me for Christmas?" Elena asked, dropping her book bag on his bedroom floor. She scanned his room, thinking of where he might have hidden it._

"_You can search all you want, but you'll never find it" he told her, picking up her bag and slinging the strap over his chair. It was typical of him to be orderly. She always laughed at him for it. "What did you get me?" he asked, setting his bag down on the chair._

_Elena shrugged. "Maybe I didn't get you anything" she said, turning around and doing her best to keep a straight face. _

_Stefan smiled. "You didn't get me anything?" he asked, cocking his head to the side just a little._

_Elena shrugged again. "Not telling" she told him._

_Stefan took a step towards her, staring her down with that look that she absolutely hated. The playful one that preceded him forcing any answer out of her that he wanted. "You're really not going to tell me?" he asked, taking another step._

"_Nope" she said, standing her ground briefly. "I am going downstairs though" she said quickly, dodging past him for escape. He caught her though, just outside of his room, dragging her back inside. "Stefan!" she yelled as she felt her feet come off of the ground. She held on to the arm that was wrapped securely around her. "Do not do what I think you are about to do" she warned, hanging on as she felt herself being placed on his bed. Stefan leaned over her and smirked._

"_You mean this?" he asked, grabbing her side. Elena erupted into a hysteric fit of laughter, squirming in an attempt to make the unbearable tickling stop. When he did let up, her eyes were watering and her face was red. He moved towards her again, not touching her, but she still laughed and tried to get away from him. "If you want me to stop, all you have to do is tell me what you got me for Christmas" he said, smiling at her._

"_I hate you" she said, with a smile of her own. _

_He playfully frowned at her and moved both of his hands in to tickle her. She cried out with laughter, working even harder to escape him. She was nearly falling off of his bed laughing so hard when he pulled her back on, letting up once again. "Had enough?" he asked, lying down next to her._

_Elena breathed in and out deeply, trying to catch her breath. "You're not fair" she told him, playfully glaring at him. "I'm taking your present back tomorrow" she added, sitting up._

_And his arm came back around her, pulling her close while his other hand was on her stomach, tickling her once again. "It doesn't have to be like this" he teased her, listening to her laugh even harder than before as she struggled in his arms._

"_Stefan stop!" she demanded in a high-pitched voice. "You're going to make me pee my pants!" she yelled desperately._

_He stopped, keeping his arm around her as she leaned back against him, catching her breath once more. "You're funny" he told her. Never in his life had he seen someone react like she did every time he tickled her or threatened to tickle her. It was quite amusing. _

_Elena turned her head around slightly to look up at him. "And you're evil" she grinned. "But you could make me something to eat since you made me burn so much energy the last five minutes you were trying to kill me" she added._

"_Okay" he agreed instantly, kissing her messy hair before letting her go and getting up. "Homemade pizza okay?" he asked._

"_Sounds great" she said. _

"_Don't snoop" he warned, pointing his finger at her. "Because if you do miraculously find your present, I will take it back" he added._

_Elena rolled her eyes. "I won't snoop" she said. _

"_Liar" he said over his shoulder as he left his room._

_Elena laid back on his bed and closed her eyes, smiling. When she opened them, she turned her head to the side and examined his closet. She was willing to bet he had hid her present under the floorboard in there. _

**XXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Stefan was gone by the time Elena made it downstairs the next morning. He must have left early for work. She didn't blame him. She set Mia in her swing for a few minutes while she gathered their bags and everything that Mia would need. She wasn't sure how long she was planning on staying at her old house with Jeremy.

"Ready Peanut?" Elena asked, stopping the swing and pausing for a moment as she thought about what she had just said. Stefan had started calling her that a few days ago, because he always said she was about the size of one because she was so small. She shook the thought from her mind, focusing on what she needed to do that day.

Mia's head rested against Elena's shoulder as they made their way outside to the car. Jeremy was expecting them by lunch time.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"No" Elena laughed, unpacking the bedding that Jeremy was going to use. "I did not say that" she told him.

"You did too. I specifically remember you wetting your bed and telling Mom and Dad that I did it" he told her, breaking down another box.

Elena shook her head. "I still say you are making this all up" she smiled, tossing the sheets in the empty laundry basket beside her. "I'm going to get these started in the wash and then go pick up dinner" she told him, grabbing the basket and heading out of the room.

Jeremy grinned as he turned to look at Mia. "You mom totally peed her bed and blamed me for it" he told her. Mia waved her arms and hands a little, though she was perfectly content with her binky. "Come on you" he said, picking her up and heading back downstairs. "This is the kitchen" he said, showing her around. "You mom is not allowed in here by herself" he told Mia.

"I heard that!" Elena called from the living room. Jeremy laughed. They both heard a knock on the door. Jeremy looked at his watch. It was almost seven at night. "I'll get it!" Elena told Jeremy. She brushed loose strands of hair out of her face and made her way to the front door. She opened it to see him standing in front of her. "Stefan" she said quietly, hanging onto the door to support herself. She didn't have to ask why he was there.

"I would like to say goodnight to her" he told Elena. He had gone to work and left after to make the drive out there. His eyes looked sleepy and his voice was strained, almost as if he had been crying or wanted to cry. She couldn't tell. He didn't look like his normal, sharp, clean self though and she felt guilty.

Not knowing what else to do, she nodded slowly, stepping aside for him to come in. "Who's at the door?" Jeremy asked, walking into the living room with Mia, only to find Stefan standing there. Elena had been vague about what was going on with her and Stefan, and Jeremy didn't push the subject. He was just happy to be spending time with Elena again. Jeremy looked from Stefan to his sister.

"He wanted to say goodnight to her" Elena said, repeating what Stefan had told her.

Jeremy stared at Stefan now for a moment. "You drove almost two hours to tell her goodnight?" he asked.

"I always tell her goodnight" Stefan answered quietly, feeling more and more unwelcome as the seconds ticked by. Stefan didn't make the first move, but let Jeremy finally bring Mia to him. Most of the weight that had been pushing against his chest eased just a little when Mia was placed into his arms. He held her close, kissing her a couple of times and capturing the moment, knowing that it would have to get him through until the following night when he would make the drive out there again. Stefan sat down on the couch with her, rubbing her back gently. "I love you" he whispered.

Elena couldn't watch, nor could she stand there with so much raw emotion and tension filling the room. "I'm going to get the rest of the bedding sorted" she said, more so to Jeremy than to Stefan. Quickly and quietly, she left the room and went back upstairs.

Jeremy crossed his arms and leaned against the wall, watching Stefan. "They don't need you anymore, you know" Jeremy said quietly. Stefan knew that. Elena could take care of herself and Mia. Jeremy would help out too. They would find a way and make it work. That wasn't the point, though. "I need them" Stefan replied. He needed them more than anything.

Mia dropped her binky as a yawn escaped her. Her eyelids began to close briefly as she rested against Stefan. Jeremy studied Stefan closely. "She just wants her space for a little while" Jeremy told him.

Stefan knew this now. Ever since Elena had moved in, he had coddled her and wanted to spend every waking moment with her and Mia. When he had been ready for a future, she was still recovering from a past. Stefan had pushed her too much, and now, he wasn't so sure that he could bring her back. Stefan stood with a now sleeping Mia and whispered a soft goodnight to her. Then, he passed Mia off to Jeremy. "Make sure she has the green blanket to sleep with. She doesn't like the blue one at night" he told him.

Jeremy held Mia as he watched Stefan reluctantly leave out the front door. The guy was extremely wounded by all of this. Jeremy had wrongly assumed that he was doing Stefan a favor by taking care of Elena and Mia now. It was pretty obvious now that Stefan had never seen Elena and Mia as an obligation. Elena and Mia were his reasons for living.

**A/N: I think my heart just broke for Stefan. Into a million little pieces.**


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: I do not have much to say this time, except that the readers are amazing and the reviews are so helpful. Thank you :)**

She was aware that Stefan was sitting across the park at a bench, waiting for her as she unbuckled Mia and brought her out of the car. It was Saturday, the day she had told him that she would be doing pictures in the park with Mia. And him too, if he had wanted to join them. He had been thrilled to join them at one time.

On the drive back into the city that morning, Elena hadn't been so sure that he would show up. She hadn't called or messaged him to remind him either. She had seen him the night before though when he had driven out there to see Mia. Jeremy had left the house to give them privacy and it was then that Stefan had given her an envelope full of cash. Because the thought of Elena without any money drove him beyond worry. And by any, Stefan meant enough to buy things they did not absolutely need. He hadn't taken no for an answer either.

She wasn't sure if she was nervous to talk to him or if she didn't want to make him feel as though he should have shown up if he didn't want to.

But he was here and she thought that had to count for something. He stood as she approached, showing her the same courtesy he showed so many. "Dark blue jeans and a white shirt, right?" he asked, holding his arms out slightly for her to evaluate him.

She was wearing the same while Mia was in the dark denim dress and white leggings that Caroline had given her. "Yeah" she said nervously. He looked amazing. She sat down on the bench and he joined her. "The photographer should be here soon" Elena said, making casual small talk.

They sat silent for only a minute. "I miss you" he said, completely ignoring her attempt to stay neutral and off of the real subject at hand. "I miss you both" he said, grabbing Mia's hand. She wrapped her fingers around his finger and squeezed it. Elena had to look away.

His voice had been desperate, like he depended on her answer. "Stefan" she said, unable to look at him.

A car door slamming made them both jump and soon, the photographer was muddling over to them with his tripod and other various pieces of equipment. "Miss Gilbert" he said, shaking Elena's hand. "We spoke on the phone" he reminded her politely. He turned to look at Stefan, who towered over him by a good few inches. "Dad, I presume?" he asked, searching for confirmation.

Stefan snapped out of his quiet, solemn state abruptly. "That's me" he said, politely shaking the man's hand and giving him a small smile. He then glanced at Elena who was still avoiding eye-contact with him.

"Perfect. Shall we get started?" he asked, pointing toward an open patch of grass. "Now, the way I usually run these sessions is by taking photos of the child first, then the child with each parent, followed by family portraits" he explained. "We can even do some shots of just the two of you if you would like" he told them. "Will that work for you both?" he asked.

Stefan and Elena both looked at each other briefly before Elena answered. "That sounds great" she said, lifting Mia up some to make sure her dress was not wrinkling.

The blanket they had set up for her on the grass served as the backdrop for the photo. Elena had placed Mia down on it by herself while the photographer snapped away. Everything went well until Mia realized she was not going to be picked back up anytime soon. She began to fuss and Elena and Stefan both knew what was coming if someone didn't grab her. "You can pick her back up. We have enough solo shots of her" the photographer said as he switched lenses.

Stefan bent down to grab her and Mia stopped her fussing. "Dad, since you have her, why don't we get yours done" the photographer suggested. Elena stepped back some, not wanting to be in the way. She watched how easy it was for Stefan and Mia. Of course she had watched them countless times before, but this time was different. She wasn't able to take their relationship for granted knowing that he would go home to his house and Elena and Mia would go home to Mystic Falls.

She also took for granted how much he did for Mia when it came to sharing the responsibility of caring for her. Elena was now the one who had to get up every time to tend to her because Jeremy wouldn't do it. She could set a dozen firecrackers off next to him and he wouldn't wake up. Whereas Stefan more often than not would get up even before Mia began to fuss. Father's instinct, he had once called it.

Elena blocked out the photographer's instructions who was telling Stefan to turn Mia this way and that. Stefan didn't appear to be paying any attention to him anyway, not when his sole attention was on the happiest little baby in the world. It made for some great shots of them though.

It broke her heart, knowing that she was breaking his. As the last photo was taken, Stefan stole a glance at her. One that Elena couldn't tear her eyes away from. One that made her want to run and jump into his arms and tell him that she was sorry and that she loved him too.

But she wouldn't. "Ready, Mom?" the photographer asked as Stefan stood. Elena walked over to where he was standing and took Mia from his arms. Her fingers brushed against his and for a brief moment, he was holding her hand in his, squeezing it gently before moving away from her.

Elena sat where Stefan had been, trying to focus on anything but his intent gaze on her. Mia continued to make her cute sounds and what Elena hoped were cute faces. It was not lost on her that Mia was searching for Stefan, having watched her look around several times.

Stefan couldn't help but smile as he watched Elena interact with Mia. The way she let her face fall close to Mia, grabbing her hands and showering the little girl with affection. She was the mother that every child deserved to have. If there was no such thing as a perfect parent, Stefan was sure she was damn close. "Beautiful, beautiful!" the photographer stated, motioning for Stefan to join in the next round of photos.

Elena tried not to notice how Stefan's hand brushed against her arm as he sat down next to them or how his knee was resting against hers. She tried not to let his cologne get to her while he sat so close to her. It was difficult though, pretending like you had to distance yourself from someone who could have such an effect on you in so many different ways.

Stefan tried not to run his hand along her back as he moved his arm around her, per the photographer's request. He tried to ignore the fact that her body reacted, sending a shiver down her spine that made her shoulders tense. "Great. Now move behind her please" the photographer instructed, going back to snapping photos.

Stefan didn't hesitate and Elena braced herself when his arms wrapped around her, holding her against him in a way only he could. The photographer continued to give them instructions, but the only thing Stefan could hear was Elena's near silent shallow breaths. If he could have this much effect on her now, he was all the more ready to imagine what would happen when he had her alone.

Elena tried to focus on the photographer and the baby in her arms. Damn him. Damn him and all he was doing to her.

"That should do" the photographer told them. "Would you two like some photos together?" he asked.

Before Elena could say no, Stefan had spoken up for them, indicating that he did. Elena didn't want to make the situation any more awkward, so she slipped Mia back into her car seat and joined Stefan.

Stefan didn't hesitate to grab her, pulling her back against him. She was a little taken aback by his action. He was never very direct with her, always letting her call the shots. The way he held her, moved her around was so different than how the careful, shy Stefan had acted around her. And she kind of liked it. She smiled as the photographer took pictures, very aware that Stefan's face, hell, his whole body, was close to hers.

Her heartbeat sped up some as he leaned the side of his head against hers. She could feel the warmth of his breath against her ear. "Marry me" he whispered, so only she could hear.

As the statement registered in her mind, Elena jerked away from him, distancing herself as much as she could. "I think we're done here" Elena said, to both the photographer, but she was looking at Stefan as she said it.

"Okay" the photographer said, clearly unaware of the budding tension between the couple in front of him. "I will e-mail you the proofs sometime tomorrow" he said.

Elena thanked him as he packed up. Stefan was holding Mia now, clearly waiting for the photographer to leave. "Goodbye" Elena said politely.

When the photographer was back in his car, Elena finally approached Stefan. "We need to get back" Elena said, reaching out for Mia.

Stefan didn't give her back. "I mean it" he told her, looking sincerely at her. She knew he did mean it, and that terrified her. She couldn't marry Stefan. Not when she was struggling with her trust issues. Marriage was the worst possible course of action for her right now.

"No" she stated, reaching for Mia once again. Again, Stefan wouldn't give her up. "Can we not do this here?" she asked, clearly annoyed with him.

"Fine" he said, beginning to walk towards their cars. Stefan buckled Mia into the car seat in his car. "Meet me back home" he said, throwing it over his shoulder as he got into his car.

Elena turned slightly red at this. How dare he ignore her and take matters into his own hands. But reluctantly, she grabbed Mia's empty car seat and got in her own car and followed him the ten minutes back to his house.

When she walked through his door, he was waiting for her at the base of the stairs. "I put her down for a nap" Stefan informed her as Elena looked around for her daughter. "So we could talk."

"There's nothing to talk about" Elena told him stubbornly.

Stefan stood and walked so quickly towards her that she had no time to get away from him. He grabbed her hands and waited for her to look up at him. "Marry me, Elena" he said again.

Elena shook her head. "Why now, Stefan? Why all of a sudden? Because I am freaking out about ex-girlfriends and commitment?" she asked him, attempting to pull her hands away from his.

Stefan didn't let her hands go as he lowered his head closer to hers. "Because I should have married you before she was born" he told her honestly. "I should have given you a reason to trust me from the very beginning" he told her more passionately this time. "I want to give you a reason to believe that I want only you. And only her" he told her.

Elena pulled on her hands again, fighting to avoid what he was saying. "Stop" she said, shutting down on him.

"Elena" he said, trying to bring her back to him.

Elena turned around, trying to clear her head. But she was working off of emotions now. Raw, painful emotions. "Where were you!" she yelled at him as she turned around to face him. His face paled. "You didn't call me or e-mail me or come and see me!" she yelled angrily. "I needed you!" she said, finally breaking down into tears. "I needed you, and you weren't there!"

It hurt. It physically hurt to bring this up. Stefan regretted every single day that he didn't talk to her. He had wasted 6 years of his life because she was not in it. "I was so stupid. I'm so sorry" he told her desperately. It never even registered through his mind that she was at fault too. That she could have called, e-mailed, or visited him too. And when she thought about why she hadn't, she couldn't come up with an answer either.

"I should go" Elena said sadly. She couldn't be there in his house with him, discussing things that made her feel way too much.

Stefan moved forward again, grabbing her hands once again in a last ditch effort to make her understand what he wanted. "I want to come home after work and let you tell me how your day was. I want to hold Mia and tell her how much I love her before she goes to bed. I want to crawl into bed with you, get wrapped up in you and hold you until we both fall asleep. And I want to kiss you awake every morning and know that I get to go to work and think about you all day" he told her in one long breath. When his arms went around her and his face was resting against her neck, she realized that he was crying. But so was she. "I love you so much it hurts" he mumbled against her skin. "So damn much."

Elena allowed herself to close her eyes and let him hold her. Because as unsafe as she felt with the uncertainty of her future, he was safe. She knew that. But she had had that experience of not having him at the drop of a hat, when that first tear fell down her cheek three weeks into her first semester or that moment when anxiety washed over her about one thing or another. For so many years, she had taken for granted that he would drop everything to be there for her. The six years where she didn't have him only served to remind her that she couldn't expect so much from him, no matter how hard he was going to try to meet every expectation he thought she needed met.

The fact that Elena hadn't done her part in keeping in touch with Stefan was something she needed to accept as well. Had she called, he would have dropped everything to talk to her. Hell, he probably would have driven to her in the middle of the night if that was what she needed. But she hadn't. She had accepted the fact that life had a different plan for each of them. If only she would have known that life had a dirty little secret of its own, and that was their reunion six years later.

Mia's father, if she dare call him that, had only reinforced her idea of what it felt like to be alone. Whether that was driving some of her fear or all of it right now, she wasn't sure. All she knew was that maybe it was time she stopped taking her fears out on Stefan, before she hurt them both.

What man was willing to raise another man's baby as his own? And not just to raise in the sense that he provided for her, but also to love her unconditionally. Tummy time, bath time, bed time, nap time, anytime that he could be, he was with her. Elena had come to realize that Stefan wasn't being so loving and nurturing to her baby just to win Elena over. She had caught him so many times in the middle of the night or the early morning rocking her, telling her how he truly felt about everything going on in his life. He was so honest with her, probably more honest with Mia than he was with anyone, including Elena. Why? Because Mia was the only one completely honest with him. Babies had to have complete trust in someone to care for them because they depended on that person for everything. And Mia, without a doubt, trusted Stefan more than anything.

Releasing her fear that she would end up alone again was easier said than done though because fear wasn't an easy emotion to get rid of. But she would never be happy if she never attempted to heal her pain.

"I don't want to be left again" she whispered and he could hear the pain in her voice. She found it ironic that she was the one who had been doing all the leaving in their relationship. Not him. She had walked out twice.

"Never in a million years would I let you go again" he promised, kissing her neck gently. "I've got too much at stake this time" he added, tightening his hold on her. "I hate him, for what he did to you" he said and the disgust was evident in his voice. "I hate that he left you feeling so vulnerable. But I swear to you, I want this, us, more than I have ever wanted anything. I've wanted it since before we graduated."

Elena nodded. She knew he did. "Mia is so much better off with you in her life. And the fact that you could love another man's …" she began, only to be cut off by him kissing her hard. Passionately hard.

"My baby" he said when he finally let them both get air. "She's mine. She knows I am her dad" he told her, resting is head against her forehead. "I love her, because she's like a little miniature you" he said, a soft smile playing on his lips. Elena didn't even try and fight the small laugh that escaped amongst her tears. "She yawns exactly like you do" he elaborated. "She gets fussy when she's hungry" he added and received a warning look from her. "And every time I look at her, I fall even more in love with her. The same thing happens when I look at you."

Elena felt her heartbeat increase upon hearing him. Stefan never fed her lines. He meant every single word he spoke. "You don't make it fair to all the other men out there who can't be as perfectly loving and understanding as you" she said, taking in a much needed deep breath.

"I'm not perfect" he assured her, moving just slightly to kiss her softly. "I'm just ridiculously in love with the first girl who smiled at me 20 years ago in Kindergarten" he said, brushing his nose against her cheek and thinking about kissing her again. "You've always had such a beautiful smile."

She blushed having heard him say that. Elena reached up and placed her hand on his chest, right over his heart. "You have such an amazing heart. I'm so lucky to have you in my life" she told him. Only he could take her from a moment of freaking out about her fears to smiling at him and returning a compliment. His job, working with children, was the best possible place he could be. Kind, generous, and forgiving. Everything a hospital with so much sadness and tragedy needed. "I'm sorry I keep walking out on you" she told him, feeling his warm breath remain against her cheek. "I won't do it again, no matter how upset I feel" she promised.

"I get if you need some time to cool off. We all do. I just want to know that you will come back and talk to me" he said quietly. Because talking was what he was good at. Worrying about whether or not he had lost her for good was not. "Come upstairs with me" he said, kissing lightly against her cheek before finding her lips once again.

"I … I can't" she told him, shooting his idea of bedroom activity down. "Not for another week" she reminded. Damn that recovery time after having a baby.

Stefan smiled against her neck. "Believe me, I am keeping track" he told her in a way that did nothing to derail her thoughts about him and her and what they could be doing together under the sheets. It was exciting, yet scary as well to think about being with him, like that, again. "I just want to kiss you and hold you" he said, giving her an example by kissing her collarbone.

Elena breathed in softly. "Okay" she agreed. She would go upstairs with him. Because maybe time alone with him, letting him hold and kiss her, was what they needed. "I just need to call Jeremy and tell him that I am staying here" she said, hoping that her brother would understand.

"Okay" he smiled, pulling away from her slightly. Elena took her phone out of her pocket and wandered into the other room.

Stefan remained where he was, content with waiting for her and quite happy with himself that he had made sure he had the chance to talk to Elena and tell her how he felt while also listening to how she felt. If he could continue to get her to talk to him instead of running off, he thought they would be more than okay.

A knock at his door had him curiously walking towards it to answer. If it was Damon or Caroline, he would fake being sick and send them on their way. No way was he going to give up time with Elena for them. Not right now. Stefan opened the door and stopped the second he saw her standing before him.

"Hello, Stefan. Surprised to see me?" Katherine asked as her signature smirk met her deceiving, beautiful eyes.

**A/N: Umm … uh oh?**


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews for last chapter. I know some of you were worried about Katherine. ;)**

**I am still working on the Power Outage update that I had talked about a while back. When it is done, it will be added to My Life Without You. I will post on Twitter ( TVDVampireKat) when it has been added : )**

Stefan gripped the door tightly as his jaw tensed. "You need to leave" he told her, his demeanor doing nothing to show her that he wanted her there in the first place.

Katherine pouted. "I just wanted to apologize for how I left things …" she said, smiling at him.

Anger flashed through his eyes. "You slept with Elijah while we were together and then you left me for him" Stefan reminded her.

Katherine giggled. Yeah, she did do that. "Yes, but I realize my mistake now" she said, her eyes trailing down his body and then back up. Sure. Elijah had that sexy accent. But Stefan had that sexy body. "I just need five minutes" she said, slowly undoing the ties on her jacket to reveal the sexy matching bra and panties she had carefully selected for him.

Stefan's eyes raked over her body momentarily and then shot back up to her face to see her smiling. A few years ago, when he had hit a low and had been convinced he would be alone the rest of his life, he might have taken her invitation and accepted her apology. But now, he wanted nothing more than to push her in the bushes just to get rid of her. "Leave" he said, attempting to shut the door.

Her hand caught the door though, stopping him as she looked past him. "Who's she?" Katherine asked, her eyes narrowing as she glared at the woman behind him.

Stefan was pretty sure his heart had stopped when he realized that Elena must have been behind them. Slowly and painfully, he turned his body to look. There she was, clutching her phone in her hand with a stunned look upon her face. Stefan didn't blame her though, seeing as how Katherine was half naked standing at his door. "Elena" Stefan said, his voice pitchy and filled with desperation. What was he supposed to say? It wasn't what it looked like?

A wicked thought ran through Katherine's head as she slowly let go of her own shock at seeing another woman in Stefan's house. "I'm confused Stefan. Why did you call me a couple of days ago, asking to see me?" she asked, pretending to be deeply confused. It seemed to have an effect on Elena though. She looked like she wanted to cry. And Katherine loved every minute of making her feel that way.

"I didn't!" he yelled out, hating her even more than he had before. "Stop lying Katherine. I don't know why you are here, but you need to leave. Now" he told her angrily.

"Is that what you really want, Stefan?" Katherine asked. "Because we both know how in love you were with me before I walked out on you" she reminded, her eyes glimmering with amusement as she watched Elena try to hold herself together. "Does your little friend here know that?" she asked.

"I never loved you" he told her, his voice pressed with anguish. Yes, her walking out on him had hurt. But Katherine would have never made him happy. He knew that. "Stay away from me" he told her harshly, shutting the door on her. When he turned around, Elena was no longer there.

Panic washed over him as he went in search for her. He would have heard her if she went up the stairs. She wasn't in the living area or the kitchen. That just left the back yard. He found her standing at the far end of the yard, facing the fence. He couldn't tell if she was angry or hurt or both. "Elena" he said, reaching out to touch her arm.

"Is she gone?" Elena asked, her voice attempting to be neutral, but Stefan could hear the anxiety laced in it.

"I didn't know she was going to show up" Stefan told her, letting his hand fall down along her back. "Last I heard, Elijah told me she was with some other guy" he explained.

Elena wiped at a tear, hoping that he wouldn't see. But he did. "I believe you" she said, turning to face him. "It's just not every day that your boyfriend's ex shows up at the front door in a sexy get-up wanting him back" Elena said, smiling slightly.

"Boyfriend?" he asked, liking the sound of that.

"Well, yeah" she said nervously.

But before she had time to be any more nervous, she felt herself engulfed in his arms. "I was so scared you were going to leave" he said, whispering in her ear.

Elena kissed his neck, showing him as much affection as she could in his tight embrace. "I told you I wasn't going to run anymore" she said, reaching her hands around to hug him back. "She seems crazy" Elena added, trying to lighten the mood.

"She's psycho" Stefan said, running his hands down her back. "I don't want to talk about her" he stated. "We were in the middle of something before we were rudely interrupted" Stefan reminded her. He pushed her away from him some, just enough so he could bend down and capture her lips in a rough, needy kiss.

Elena gripped his shirt, wishing desperately that it would come off. Her sweet, gentle Stefan was kissing her harder than she thought he ever had. "Stefan" she said, barely being able to peel her lips away from his. When she finally did, his lips attacked her neck, taking no mercy on her. "Take me inside" she told him. It was way too hot to be doing this with him outside in the summer sun.

Stefan's arms were reaching under Elena's thighs, picking her up off of the ground before she could protest. Her legs wrapped around his waist and her arms went back around his neck, pulling him closer so she could kiss him again.

They were moving across the lawn, into the house, and up the stairs. All thoughts of Katherine were gone for the time being. Stefan made it to his room and fell onto the bed, landing on his back so as not to crush her.

Elena giggled softly, sweeping her hair out of her face as she looked down at him. His hands lazily skimmed her thighs as he looked up at her, content with just looking at her. "I could look at you all day" he said, moving some of the hair she had missed out of her face.

Elena smiled. "I could say the same thing about you" she told him. "But I think we should stop" she sighed. He looked up at her with concern and she could tell that he was trying to decide if he had gone too far with his touching and kissing. He didn't want to screw anything up. "I just won't want to stop if we keep going" she said, smiling lazily at him. "So" she said, placing both hands on his chest. "Instead, I propose that we make lunch, take Mia for a walk, and then cuddle on the couch and watch a movie" she suggested, waiting for his reaction.

Stefan sat up, coming face to face with her and almost surprising her. "I love that plan" he whispered against her lips, kissing her softly.

Elena sighed, getting lost in his kiss. One more week until she was going to be able to be with Stefan intimately. She was ready, she thought.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Stefan covered him and Elena with a throw blanket as they settled into the couch to watch a movie. They had chosen to watch Crazy Stupid Love because it was romantic and funny and because Elena had wanted to see it. She had asked him what he wanted to watch and then before he could answer, she threw out the movie that she wanted to watch. Stefan didn't have the heart to tell her no. He never did, but he didn't think it would be such a bad movie, especially if he had Elena right next to him. It would be nice for a change, being able to relax and not feel so stressed or overwhelmed by anything for once.

As much as Elena had wanted to watch the movie, she had something else on her mind as the movie played. She moved her hand over Stefan's stomach, resting her head on his chest. "You hesitated" she said softly, causing him to tilt his head some to look at her. "On my birthday, when I asked you to sleep with me. You didn't want to do it. Why?" she asked.

"I thought you wanted to watch the movie" he said, avoiding her question. Elena grabbed the remote and paused it. Stefan sighed. "I didn't want to be your first when I knew I wouldn't be your second" he told her, avoiding her eyes as he answered her. "I did it because you asked me to, and I wanted to make sure your first time was good for you" he added. "I just hated … I didn't want to do it" he said, looking down at his hands.

Elena got it. She understood now. She turned slightly so she could look at him, face-to-face. "You were in love with me" she said, reaching up and touching his face. "It's like I used you" she told him, though she hadn't seen it that way at the time. She honestly didn't think it would hurt either of them. "You got to be with me that night, and afterwards, I pretended like it never happened. Because you were my friend and that's what I thought I was supposed to do. Pretend" she said, hating herself a little more as it fully registered how much that night had hurt him. "I'm sorry" she said, her voice full of sadness as she looked at him.

"You didn't know" he told her, reaching up and tucking some hair behind her ear. Then he smiled. "It was a long time ago" he added.

Elena was silent for a few more moments as she looked into his eyes, wondering how he had been able to go on the rest of the school year, seeing her every day, knowing that he wasn't going to be able to hold her, kiss her, or touch her in the ways that he really wanted to. "You may not have been my second, but you'll be my last" she said softly.

Stefan swore his heart swelled about twice its size when he heard her say that. Yes, he would be her last. And she, his. He would make sure of it. Because the thought of loving anyone else, of touching anyone else, felt horribly disturbing to him. Stefan moved his arms around her, pulling her a little more on top of him so he could kiss her. Long and hard. And the only reason he let her go was because he heard Caroline shriek a few feet away.

"Oh my God they're doing it on the couch!" she shrieked again, covering her eyes and her husband's eyes.

Elena moved off of Stefan, clearly embarrassed. With her practically on Stefan and the blanket around them, it very well could have looked like she and Stefan were doing it on the couch. "Way to go little brother" Damon grinned as Caroline's hand continued to cover his eyes.

"Damon!" Caroline reprimanded, kicking his foot.

"What?" Damon asked. "It's been a long time for Stefan" he shrugged.

"Enough" Stefan told them. "We weren't having sex. We were watching a movie" he explained.

Caroline carefully let her hands fall back to her sides as she stared at them. "Are you sure? Because we can come back" she told them.

"We weren't doing that" Elena said, still embarrassed as she moved further away from Stefan. "We were watching Crazy Stupid Love" she elaborated.

"Hey, I LOVE that movie" Damon said, smiling at Caroline as he made his way over to the couch. He plopped down right in between Stefan and Elena. "Hey, popcorn" he added, grabbing for the bowl.

Stefan glared at him and Elena got up off of the couch. "So, what are you guys doing here?" Elena asked casually as Caroline came into the room finally.

"I bought more stuff for Mia" she said. "Want to help me with the bags?" she asked.

"Sure" Elena told her, glancing back at Stefan who looked utterly annoyed. She smiled at him and then followed Caroline out. "You don't have to buy her things" Elena insisted.

"Yes I do" Caroline told her, opening her trunk. Inside were at least five large bags filled to the top. "Baby clothes are so much cuter than the clothes I buy for myself" she said. "Oh, but I did get this for you" she said, holding up a small red bag for Elena.

Elena looked at her cautiously before opening it. She reached for something black and as she began to pull it out, she realized what it was. "Caroline!" she exclaimed, stuffing the tiny, very exposing piece of lingerie back into the small bag. "What is wrong with you?" Elena asked in a hushed voice. There was no way she was going to wear that, and definitely not for anyone else to see. She quickly gave the bag back to Caroline.

Caroline grinned. "I suppose it's actually more of a present for Stefan …" she trailed off. "And there's nothing wrong with me. You're going to thank me after you wear it" she winked.

Elena's cheeks were bright pink, or so she imagined. "I would never wear that" Elena told her.

Caroline rolled her eyes. "And why not?" she asked. "You're going to look great in it. And believe me, once Stefan sees you in it …" she trailed off. "Like I said, you will thank me" she grinned again, handing Elena back the small bag and pulling a few of Mia's bags out of the trunk.

Elena glared at her as she grabbed the remaining bags and followed her in. There was no way Stefan would be seeing her in that. Ever.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Elena sat on the bed in her old room, going through all the clothes that Caroline had bought and trying to figure out where she was going to put them all. Dresses, shirts, jeans, pants, boots, sandals. Caroline had thought of almost everything. "Hey" Stefan said, knocking. "Almost done? It's getting late" he told her.

Elena smiled. "Did you get Mia down?" she asked, stacking the clothes.

"Yep. It was pretty easy. I think Caroline and Damon tired her out earlier" he mentioned. Elena nodded as she stood up, holding all of the clothes. "Wow. Caroline went all out" he said, examining the pile of clothes Elena was carrying.

"Yeah she did" Elena grinned. "I'm just going to throw these in the laundry room and then I'll be back" she said, reaching up and giving him a light peck on his cheek before she left the room. Stefan watched Elena walk down the hall. He glanced inside the room once more, noticing that there was a small bag lying partly under the bed. He figured Elena must have dropped it. He walked over and grabbed it, sitting on the bed to see what was in it. Probably shoes for Mia. It couldn't have held much more in it.

Stefan reached in and pulled out something silky. He furrowed his brow as he held it up, letting it untangle. Then his eyes went wide. It barely had anything to it, but it only took him less than a millisecond to figure out what it was. Definitely not something for Mia. Stefan felt his cheeks blush slightly at the thought of Elena wearing something like that, but the more he stared at it, the more he hoped that she would wear it for him.

Then he shook his head, placing it back in the bag. She probably didn't want him to know she had it.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Elena smiled as she came back into their room. Stefan was already in bed, shirtless she noted, and sitting up, waiting for her. "Looks like I will be doing laundry all day tomorrow" she mentioned, grabbing a pair of shorts and a tank top out of her drawer to change into. She went into the bathroom.

Stefan couldn't help but grin. He wondered how she was going to be able to wear that sexy little lingerie piece for him if she couldn't change in front of him.

Elena was done in minutes, having washed her face and brushed her teeth. She climbed into bed with him and noticed that he looked awfully happy. "What?" she asked, unable to hide her own smile that formed. His smiles were infectious.

"Nothing" he told her, still smiling.

"Seriously, what?" she asked, scooting closer to him and eager to know what had him in such a good mood all of a sudden.

"I found something" he said, being vague.

"Found what?" she asked, completely oblivious to what he was talking about.

Stefan slipped is hand from out underneath the blankets and held up the little silky black lingerie outfit. Elena gasped. She was mortified. Embarrassed really. Her eyes shot to his immediately and he could tell she wanted to ask where he had found it. "It was hiding out under your bed in there" he told her. "Which is a shame because it would serve a better purpose in this bed, if you were wearing it" he smiled.

Elena snatched it out of his hands and hid it behind her back. "You weren't supposed to see that!" she said, still embarrassed.

"Why?" he asked. "Was it supposed to be a surprise?" he asked, cocking his head to the side a bit with amusement. Because he would pretend he never saw it if it was supposed to be a surprise.

"No" she stated. "Because I'm not going to wear it, ever" she explained.

Now Stefan looked shocked. "For the love of God why not?" he asked her. He wanted to see her wearing it more than anything. Well, not more than anything, but pretty close.

"Because" she said, looking away from him. "That's totally not me."

"I disagree" he said. Elena looked at him with apprehension. "It's fun. You're fun. There's nothing to be embarrassed about Elena" he told her. "And I for one think you would look amazing in it. Even more amazing than you already do" he added.

Elena rolled her eyes. "You want me to wear it sometime?" she asked, taking it out from behind her back and staring at it again.

Stefan grinned. "Yes" he said confidently. "If it would make you feel better, I'll get one and wear it too" he told her, as seriously as he could.

But it got her to smile. "You would look hot in something like this" Elena said, throwing it at him. He caught it and deposited it on his nightstand.

"Blue is more my color though" he said, reaching his arms out and pulling her close to him. Elena laughed at how ridiculous he was, but decided that she loved him because of it. Stefan kissed along her shoulder, remembering the past week he had had to sleep alone. It had been horrible. Unbearable. Elena reached over and turned her light off. She snuggled closer to Stefan who was still kissing her, having moved just below her ear. "I'm so excited about you wearing that little black thing" he whispered into her ear.

Elena rolled her eyes again and he knew she had. "Goodnight Stefan" she told him.

Stefan smiled and kissed her cheek. "Goodnight, Elena" he said, wrapping his arms securely around her. He listened until her breathing became soft and consistent, knowing that she was finally asleep. Then, and only then, did he finally let himself fall asleep, knowing that she was safe and sound right where she was supposed to be.

**A/N: Well, that was kind of fun to write :P What did you think?**


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: Finally, I finished this update. It was a struggle, but I am glad I was able to write it. **

**Thank you for the reviews and Tweets. I love this story so much and I almost did not write it because I knew Mia would not be Stefan's. After talking with a dad who is now raising two little girls who are not biologically his with his wife, I knew I had to do it. Because there are men out there who can take on this responsibility and be loving fathers. I applaud anyone who can do that.**

**Okay, I hope you enjoy this update!**

Stefan rolled his neck, stretching it the best he could as he waited at a stop light. It was Friday and he was looking forward to spending the weekend with Mia and Elena. Work had been tough on him all week. Not that he was complaining, but he was looking forward to seeing his girls.

When the light turned, Stefan continued driving the short distance to his house. He frowned when he pulled into the driveway and saw that Elena's car was not there. He grabbed his briefcase and went inside. Maybe she had gone to get dinner.

Stefan opened the front door and went inside, dropping his briefcase by the door. He walked towards the living room and nearly died from a heart attack as a room full of people jumped out from nowhere and yelled "SURPRISE!". Stefan stood there, completely in shock as he saw all of those people smiling at him. Then reality set in and he smiled, taking in all of the decorations.

And then Elena, carrying Mia, emerged from the sea of people. She had the biggest smile on her face, no doubt because Stefan was truly surprised, as she approached him. Elena reached up and kissed him softly. "Happy Birthday" she said quietly, still smiling at him as she pulled away.

He honestly hadn't thought that anyone had remembered. A few people at work had stopped in to wish him a happy birthday, but he really wasn't expecting anyone else to go out of their way, especially not like this. Hell, he didn't even think his own brother would remember. Then again, maybe Elena had reminded him. "You did all this?" he asked her, tilting his head slightly as he looked at her.

"We both did" Elena said, motioning to Mia. Mia was the cuteness factor that brought everyone to the party. And she looked extra cute in her pink dress and little white sweater jacket.

Stefan smiled, grabbing Mia from her as Elena turned around and informed her guests that the food was out back. Stefan began greeting his lingering guests, thanking them for coming and accepting their compliments on how beautiful Mia was.

He had hardly seen Elena since he walked inside. She was running around, making sure the guests were happy. When he did spot her, he gave Mia over to Caroline and snuck away, on a mission to get Elena alone for a few minutes. "Hey" he said, grabbing hold of her arm and pulling her close.

Elena turned around and smiled, putting her arms around his waist and hugging him. "Are you enjoying your party?" she asked, tilting her head up to receive his kiss.

"I love my party" he told her, sliding his thumb across her cheek and smiling. "Thank you for doing all of this. You are amazing" he told her, bending down to kiss her again until Damon interrupted him.

"Come on birthday boy, it's time for a speech!" Damon announced, grabbing his brother and Elena and dragging them back to the tables with all of the people still sitting and enjoying their food. Damon grabbed a champagne glass and a knife, tapping on it to get everyone's attention. He pushed Stefan down into the chair in front of him. "Attention everyone!" Damon announced, waiting for the chatter to stop. "I just wanted to publically wish my baby brother a happy birthday. For 25 years, I have had to put up with him" he said, smirking at Stefan as he said this. Stefan rolled his eyes. "I taught him everything he knows. How to write his name. How to hotwire a car. How to get a girl …" he added, winking at Elena and making her blush. "Stefan might not know this, but I am incredibly proud of him. He has a degree, a career, and most importantly, a beautiful family" he said, shooting Elena another wink. "He's 25, and he has life figured out. That's pretty good. So, before I go on and say anything embarrassing, I turn the floor over to the party hostess herself, Elena" he said, motioning for Elena to come and stand where he was.

Caroline pushed Elena forward and Elena swore she was turning bright red. Public speaking was never her strength. But as she stood up in front of all of Stefan's friends and co-workers, all she had to do was look at Stefan and she calmed instantly. Because talking about him and saying how great he was, that was easy. "First, I want to thank you all for coming and helping me wish Stefan a happy birthday" she began, smiling at Stefan before her shyness took over once more. He had a way of taking her breath away by just a look. How had she never noticed that before? She looked at Caroline and Mia to gain her confidence back. "I've known Stefan for 20 years now. I met him in Kindergarten and we were inseparable all the way until we left for college. And although we went our separate ways, somehow, he found me again. I don't know how, but I do know why" she said, looking back at Stefan and smiling. His eyes were glued to her as he listened. "I love Stefan" she said, fidgeting with her fingers as she announced this to a lot of people she barely knew, if at all. "I probably don't tell him that enough, but I do. He's my best friend and he means the world to me" she added. "And for at least today, I wanted him to feel special. Because he makes me feel special every single day that I am with him" she said, feeling herself tear up. She looked at him for a moment, seeing so much love in his eyes. It was incredible, to be with someone who could look at you like that every day. "If you are here today, it is because you know Stefan. And I just want to tell you how incredibly lucky you are to have him in your life. He's amazing" Elena finished.

The partygoers began to clap as Stefan stood and pulled Elena into a hug. "I'm the lucky one" he whispered into her ear, kissing it before letting her go. He held her hand and looked adoringly at her for a moment, truly understanding how lucky he really was. Then Elena was being pulled away by Caroline and Stefan by one of his college friends.

Stefan said goodbye to all of his friends as they left one by one. There was a large stack of presents in the living room for him, and about half a cake left for him to finish over the next week.

He found Elena in the kitchen, cleaning up. "What can I do to help?" he asked, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind her and resting his chin on her shoulder.

Elena smiled. "You can give Mia her bath and put her to bed" Elena told him. It was way past her bedtime.

Stefan smiled as he looked over at Mia, lounging in her swing and sucking on her binky. "I can do that" he said, kissing Elena's shoulder before going and grabbing Mia. "Come on little one" he said, picking her up and kissing her face. "I can't wait until you are old enough to help me eat left over cake" he said, disappearing from sight.

Elena smiled as she continued to clear dishes and pick up after the party. She was exhausted, but it was completely worth it to see Stefan smile so much.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Elena sat at the kitchen counter, having changed before Stefan wandered back downstairs. "She's asleep" he said, sitting down next to Elena. He turned to face her and smiled. "Thank you again for today."

Elena smiled as she grabbed for a folder next to her. "I have something for you" she said. Stefan looked at her curiously. "It's not a birthday present, but I wanted to give this to you tonight" she said, handing him the folder.

Stefan opened the folder and scanned the papers inside. Then he looked up at Elena. "Elena …" he said, not really sure what to say in that moment.

"You're her father. I don't need legal documents to tell me that. But I know these little details need to be taken care of. And, if you are ready to take full responsibility for her, I'm ready to let you" she said in one long breath before letting it out. "There's no rush, Stefan. You can take however long you need to sign them, if you want to at all. I just wanted you to know that you have the opportunity."

Stefan set the folder down and stood up. He walked out of the kitchen and Elena was extremely confused. But he was back less than a minute later, this time holding a pen as he sat back down and opened the folder. He signed off on every page. Elena's eyes watched his pen until he shut the folder. "Done" he smiled proudly, barely being able to push the folder away from him before Elena had flung herself into his arms, kissing him. He pulled away from her slightly. He rested his forehead against hers, locking his eyes with hers. "Thank you" he told her softly. "Mia means the world to me. I love her so much. If it is possible to love her any more than I already do, I will" he smiled, kissing her lips softly once again.

Elena wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tight. "I love watching you two. She is such a lucky little girl to have a man like you in her life" she told him.

"I'm the lucky one" Stefan said, repeating his words from earlier. "Mia is probably the best gift you could have ever given me."

Elena laughed slightly to herself as she pulled away from him. "Stop being so damn perfect" she told him with a hint of playfulness in her eyes.

"I wish I could" he grinned. He ran his hands up along her sides, enjoying the feel of her silky robe against his hands. "What's this?" he asked, continuing to feel her robe and attempting to get his hands in it. He had never seen it before.

Elena laughed as she grabbed his hands and pulled away from him. Then she smiled. "This is your actual birthday present" she told him. He stared at her, thinking he knew what she was referring to but not wanting to get his hopes up. "My checkup went great and I am free to … you know" she said, ducking her head slightly out of embarrassment. It wasn't every day she got to have sex with Stefan Salvatore. But hopefully that was about to change.

Stefan grabbed her face in his hands, stroking her cheeks with the pads of his thumbs. He looked at her with such seriousness. "Are you wearing that little black thing?" he asked as a stupid grin fell across his face.

Elena shrugged. "Why don't you take me upstairs and find out?" she suggested.

He laughed at her response. "Okay" he said, standing up. He placed one arm around her back and one just behind her knees, picking her up and heading towards the stairs. Stefan stumbled four times when Elena had wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.

Somehow, they made it to the bedroom. Stefan leaned over and set her on the bed. "I'll be right back" he whispered.

Elena sat up on her elbows and looked at him curiously. "Where are you going?" she asked, smiling as she watched him back up away from the bed.

"You'll see" he told her, grinning. "Don't go anywhere" he added, pointing a finger at her before disappearing out of the room. Elena fell back and covered her face out of frustration, but she was still smiling. Because whatever he was doing, it more than likely had something to do with her.

Five minutes later, he was walking back into the room. She sat up again some, watching him. Stefan set six candles around the room, lighting them as he went. "Candles?" she asked, a huge smile appearing. He was such a romantic.

"And" he said, walking back to the bed. He pulled out a handful of rose petals from the pocket of his slacks and tossed them all over the bed near her. He crawled back on the bed, moving over her so he could kiss her again.

"You are such a romantic" Elena said before his lips captured hers.

"Only for you" he breathed against her skin, kissing her neck as his hands lingered on her sides, inching their wait toward the ties on her robe. Slowly, he pulled the ties apart and sat up some as he pulled her robe apart. Yes, she was wearing the little black silky thing. "Wow" was all he could get to come out of his mouth.

Elena sat up more and he helped her get the robe off. "Really?" Elena asked, looking down at herself and then back up at him. She hadn't been so sure she could pull it off.

Stefan grabbed her hands in his as he looked at her. "You would look amazing in anything, but this is pretty high up on my list" he grinned, kissing each of her hands as she blushed.

Elena pulled her hands away from his as she reached for his tie. "I love you in a tie" she said, loosening it and helping him get it off. She then reached for the buttons on his shirt and undid them one at a time, slowly. His eyes never left hers as she reached the last button and pushed his shirt off of his shoulders. He stood briefly, pushing is pants off so he could catch up to her.

Elena laid back and wrapped her arms around him when he joined her again on the bed. As nervous as she was about this, she soon forgot when Stefan was lying on top of her, kissing along one shoulder and then across to the other. It was exactly like their first time. He went slow, taking his time as he kissed every inch of skin on her. He kissed along her stomach, remembering how not that long ago, she was pregnant. He was thinking it would be amazing to see her pregnant again. Not that he needed another child, but raising kids with Elena was at the top of his list now. They were a great team, and she looked absolutely beautiful when she was expecting.

The only difference between now and their first time was, after he had removed her little black silky lingerie and she had discarded his boxer briefs soon after, he had whispered that he loved her - something he hadn't been able to do the first time.

Hearing Stefan whisper "I love you" as he made love to her was exactly what she needed to feel safe and secure with him, not only in that moment, but in her future with him. It pieced together for her what she had failed to see before. That Stefan loved her and nothing was going to change that. That she could screw up in their relationship and he would still be there. She needed to give him that same commitment. Her thoughts soon scattered though when she felt Stefan scrape his teeth against her shoulder. That was extremely hot. He smiled against her skin when he heard her moan softly.

It was slow and gentle and he had never felt closer to her in his entire life. He felt her nails press into his back slightly as he rocked against her. He brought his lips back to hers and kissed her gently. "I love you so much" he whispered, kissing her again. He could tell her that every day and she would never get tired of hearing it.

"Stefan" she breathed out, almost desperately, arching her back just slightly. His words had the right effect on her.

He knew. He was close too. "I know" he reassured her, bringing her legs up to wrap around his back. He panted against her ear, enjoying the feel of her against him.

When she cried out, he was gone too. They were both breathing hard and slightly sweaty, but that didn't stop him from kissing her soft and slow. Elena tore her lips away from his and turned her head to the side, still trying to take in air. Stefan settled for kissing along her neck again. "I can't believe I waited six years to do that again" she breathed out with a small, exhausted laugh. How had she not jumped him in bed the days following their first time when they were 18?

Stefan smiled, kissing her collarbone before pushing himself off of her. He looked down at her and smiled even more. "Just please don't make me wait that long for the next time" he said.

Elena grinned. "I think we have to do this again tomorrow" she said, laughing again as she closed her eyes. Gosh, she was tired.

Stefan kissed her lips one last time before rolling away from her momentarily. Stefan got them situated under the covers before he put her arms around her and pulled her close. "This was the best birthday ever" he said, resting his chin on her shoulder.

"Even better than the one where I found you a snake out back and it got loose in your house?" she asked.

That had been his 8th birthday and he had to admit, that was pretty great. "That was pretty cool" he told her, gliding his hands down her arms. "But you were naked in this one so…" he said, earning a small tired giggle from her.

"Fair enough" she yawned before she could stop herself.

"Go to sleep" he whispered, kissing behind her ear gently.

She nodded before turning around to face him. She wrapped her arms around him and rested her head against his chest. "I love you" she whispered, tilting her head up slightly to smile at him. She kissed his chest gently before closing her eyes.

"Love you too" he whispered back, kissing her head. He could feel her heartbeat against his chest and when her breathing started to even out, he looked down and saw that she was out.

A half an hour passed and just as he was about to fall asleep himself, the baby monitor lit up and a string of quiet fussy noises appeared. Stefan smiled, easing Elena out of his arms and laying her head on his pillow. Carefully, he got out of bed and grabbed a pair of sweats to put on. As tired as he was and as much as he wanted to stay wrapped up with Elena, he had more of a reason to smile.

His daughter was wide awake when he walked into her room. He cherished these moments, during the middle of the night or early morning, because it was just the two of them. When she was changed and fed, he would just sit with her and rock her, talking to her like he would if she were able to talk back. Because one day she would be able to, and she would call him "daddy."

And that moment would make him feel more like a father than any legal document could.

**A/N: I don't like writing this kind of sexy time because I'm no good at it, but I hope it was descent without crossing the line too much. ;) **


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: The only point to this chapter is to make you smile. Which I hope you do. Thank you for reading. You guys mean the world to me :)**

There was soft, warm breath hitting his neck when he woke up that morning. He didn't have to open his eyes to know who it was. Elena's face was in the crook of his neck and her hands were tucked away against his bare chest.

He had crawled back into bed after putting Mia back down. Elena had rolled over to her side of the bed and he thought about leaving her alone so as not to wake her. But the urge to be close to her won out and he had pulled her back over to his side of the bed and tucked her against him, content with her in his arms. She had stirred some, but not enough to wake up.

He was happy to see that she hadn't rolled away from him during the night. Slowly, he turned his head just slightly so he could kiss the side of her head. She murmured something he couldn't understand, so he did again.

Elena smiled and stretched her legs some. "Good morning" she whispered, snuggling back up against him.

"I love you" he whispered close to her ear, running his hands down her back and kissing her shoulder.

"I love you" she said, finally opening her eyes and seeing his bright green ones looking right back at her. Stefan turned her some so he could kiss her properly, having been waiting since she woke up. Slow, gentle, and firm. He was good at picking the right kind of kiss for the right kind of moment.

The baby monitor lit up and Elena laughed as she pulled away from Stefan and he continued to try and kiss her. "I have to get her" she told him, sliding away from him as he sat up and kissed her shoulder. Elena looked down at the ground for clothes and only found her lingerie and his shirt. She smiled at the memory and picked up his shirt, sliding it on and doing a few of the buttons. Then she turned back to him. "Go take a shower. I'll get breakfast started" she said, leaning back over the bed and giving him a sweet, quick kiss.

Elena walked out of the room, fully aware that Stefan's eyes were on her the whole time. It made her smile, knowing that he was that crazy about her.

When she entered Mia's room, Mia was in full-on fussy mode. "What's all the fuss for?" she asked, bending over and picking Mia up. Elena smiled as she kissed her daughter's head. Mia's fussiness did not subside until she was changed. Elena went downstairs and made up a bottle for her. She sat down on the couch and tucked her legs under her, rocking Mia gently as she ate. "I love you" she said, watching Mia closely. Mia kicked her feet some and Elena smiled even more.

It wasn't five minutes later that Stefan came strolling down the stairs in a pair of sweats, clearly having not showered yet. Elena took the almost finished bottle from Mia and wiped her mouth. She set her up right as Stefan sat down. "Hi Beautiful" he smiled, running his thumb over her cheek gently. Mia smiled. An actual smile directed at him. "Did you see that?" Stefan asked, looking at Elena immediately. "She smiled. She smiled at me" he said, on the verge of freaking out. It was the first time Mia had smiled at him like that.

Elena turned Mia to face her and smiled. "Did you smile at your daddy?" she asked. Mia smiled at her. "Oh you are smiley today" Elena gushed, kissing Mia's forehead. Mia smiled again and Elena set her against her stomach so she could burp her.

"That was amazing" Stefan said, smiling from ear to ear. "I can't wait until she starts laughing" he added. "Or crawling. Or walking" he continued.

"Whoa whoa" Elena said, stopping him. "If she's crawling and walking, that means she will be into everything" Elena reminded him. Elena could wait a little longer for that.

"I had better start thinking about baby proofing the house then" he sighed, sitting back. "I wanted to ask you something" he said, turning to look at her. "They offer swimming lessons for babies beginning at four months on Saturday mornings. I wanted to sign her up and save her a spot." He looked nervously at Elena, waiting for an answer.

"You want to do swimming lessons with her?" Elena asked, a small smile forming. Stefan nodded. "I think that would be a great thing for you both to do together" she said, leaning over and kissing him.

"Every kid should know how to swim. And she should get a head start" he said, rubbing Mia's back. "And if I remember correctly" he said, smiling at his forming thoughts. "I taught you how to swim" he added, getting up from the couch. "I'm going to shower" he said, patting her leg as he left.

Elena smiled. Yes, Stefan had taught her how to swim.

_May 30__th__, 1995_

_Five-year old Elena stood a few feet back from the edge of the pool as she watched the other kids splashing in the water. It was the first day of summer swim classes and she didn't want to be there. The water scared her, especially because it was over her head in some spots. This was the second year that her parents had tried to get her to swim. The last summer, she had made it as far as standing on the steps before crying and demanding to be let out of the pool. Her friends all loved swim class, including Bonnie and Caroline. It just wasn't for Elena, no matter how hard the swim instructors tried to entice her to get in the water._

"_Elena Sweetie, you have to try" the young instructor urged. Elena shook her head defiantly and backed away from the water even more. The instructor sighed. "Fine. You can sit on the bench" the instructor said. Elena retreated to the bench she had become accustomed to sitting at while her friends had fun._

_She looked down at her feet until she saw another pair of feet approach her. She looked up and saw Stefan. "Hi" he said nervously. It had only been a few months since she had met him, and they had begun to spend a lot of time together. He didn't talk much, unless she talked to him. But he was really nice and even shared his dessert with her at lunch. _

"_Hi" Elena said, forcing a smile._

"_You're not gonna swim?" he asked. Elena shook her head no. "How come?" he asked._

_Elena shrugged. "I don't like the water" she said quietly. _

"_Are you scared of the water?" Stefan asked, clarifying her answer. Elena slowly nodded. Stefan studied her for a moment. He had been in swim lessons since he was a baby. He loved the water. He had never met anyone who didn't. He slowly held out his hand to her. "I'll help you" he said, waiting for her to respond. Elena looked at his extended hand, understanding what he meant. She didn't trust anyone when it came to the water. "I promise I won't let you go" he offered._

_For the first time, she would let herself trust him, not knowing that it would be the best decision she would ever make. Because he would prove time and time again that he was the most trustworthy person she would ever have in her life. _

_Hesitantly, Elena reached her hand out and placed it in his. She stood up and Stefan walked her over to the shallow end of the pool and helped her down the steps. Elena stood in water up to her knees, but Stefan was still holding her hand as he led her deeper into the water. He stopped them when she was up to her chest. "Can you float on your back?" he asked. Elena shrugged. "If you lay back, I'll hold you up" he told her._

_Elena shook her head no. "I want to go back" she said, turning to leave. Stefan's hand never let go of hers, stopping her. _

_Elena turned and looked back at him, worry spreading across her face. "I promised I wouldn't let you go" he reminded her._

_Elena, seeing that he was probably not going to let her get out of the pool, sighed. "Okay" she said. She felt his arms move under her back as she leaned back to float. She waited for her face to go under the water, but it never did. He never let her go. When Elena stood back up, she smiled. She may not have been floating by herself, but she was at least in the water, trying. "I did it!" she said excitedly. _

_Stefan smiled. "You're really good at it. You should try again" he encouraged, helping her once more._

_The rest of the summer, Stefan helped Elena before and after swim class. The instructors watched in awe as a small little boy helped a small little girl overcome her fear. She was swimming on her own by the start of the next school year. It would be a few more years, but they would watch that same little boy and that same little girl race each other across the pool. And by no coincidence they thought, she always won. _

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

Elena brought Mia upstairs and put her back down in her crib so she could go downstairs and start breakfast. She went back down to her and Stefan's room to see if he wanted anything in particular. When she entered the room, she saw that the bathroom door was open. Stefan was standing in front of the mirror in only a white towel tied around his waist, running his hands through his wet hair as he tried to shake some of the excess water off.

Elena froze, unable to pull her gaze away from him. He was absolutely stunning to look at. She knew this, having seen him naked as recently as the night before. But something about him standing there in nothing but a towel took her breath away. Literally.

And then, the unimaginable happened. Stefan pulled on the front of his towel and let it drop on the bathroom floor. Elena's hand flew to her mouth to stop her from gasping. Again, she had seen him naked the night before, but this seemed almost … naughty. To be staring at him while he was naked with no idea that she was standing there.

Stefan turned to leave the bathroom and Elena panicked, deciding last minute to dive behind the other side of the bed so he wouldn't see her. But she wasn't fast enough. "Elena?" Stefan asked, walking towards the bed and laying down across it, looking down at her on the floor. "What are you doing down there?" he asked.

Elena quickly thought of something to say. "Uhhh, I'm … umm … looking for an earring I lost" she lied.

Stefan smiled at her. "Oh" he said. He began to get up from the bed. "Let me help you look for it" he offered.

"No!" she said, too quickly. She turned her eyes away from him as she got up. "Maybe I lost it downstairs. I'll go and look there. By the way, what did you want for breakfast?" she asked, rambling about as she tried to distract herself.

Stefan stood up, still completely naked she noticed as she kept her eyes on his feet. "If I didn't know any better, I would think you were embarrassed to see me naked" he said, grabbing just beneath her chin and lifting her head up to look at him. "Which is strange because you just saw me naked last night" he reminded her with a smile that made her turn away and blush.

"I'm not embarrassed" she told him, taking a step back. "So what did you want for breakfast?" she asked again, keeping her eyes on his.

"You can't even look anywhere but at my eyes and my feet" he grinned.

"Fine!" she said exasperated, tossing her hands up in the air. "I'm embarrassed" she said. "Seeing you naked in bed is one thing, but up and walking around is just … wrong" she finally spit out.

"Wrong?" he asked, advancing towards her. Elena took a step back. "Trust me, there was nothing wrong about it last night" he teased.

Elena felt her cheeks burn red. "You're horrible" she told him, shaking her head and smiling. "And just think, if I always see you naked, I won't enjoy your being naked after a while because I will be so desensitized to your nakedness" she explained.

Stefan's smile fell. That didn't sound like a good thing at all. "Point made" he grinned. He gave her one last smile before walking to his dresser and pulling on a pair of briefs. "Better?" he asked, shooting her another smile as he made his way back over to her.

Elena slipped her arms around his waist and reached up on the tips of her toes to give him a quick kiss. "Much better" she told him. "Now seriously, what do you want for breakfast?" she asked.

Stefan reciprocated her kiss, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close. "Are you an option?" he asked, bending down to kiss her again. She moved her head slightly, trying to avoid him as she laughed. He missed, his lips landing on the corner of her mouth.

"No" she answered, leaning her head against his chest and smiling.

"Well, in that case, how about the three of us go out for breakfast?" he suggested. "That little place that overlooks the river. It is beautiful outside right now. Mia will love it" he said, rubbing Elena's back gently.

Elena peeled her head away from his chest and smiled up at him. "That sounds perfect" she said.

"Good" he replied, planting a kiss on her forehead. "You go shower. I'll get Mia ready" he told her, patting her side as he moved past her.

Elena turned around and smiled as she watched him get dressed. He gave her one more searing smile before he left her alone in their room. She sat on the bed and then fell back, throwing her arms over her face as the hugest smile appeared. It was nice to feel so carefree and young again.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Elena was all smiles when they sat down for breakfast. The view was amazing and being able to spend time with two of the people she loved most was more than she could have ever asked for.

But truly, it was the blueberry waffles with fresh fruit and the vanilla latte that made the morning perfect. Mia was in Stefan's arms and he had no problem juggling her and eating. She had her pink sundress and matching pink hat on and the little anklet Damon had given her. She was the best dressed out of all of them and everyone seemed to stop and compliment them on what a precious little thing she was.

Stefan caught Elena staring out at the boats on the water and could tell that she was fascinated by them. "We have a boat" he said, breaking into her thoughts. She turned and looked at him quickly. "We can take it out whenever you want" he added, smiling as he saw the excitement begin to appear across her face.

"We" she said, testing the word. It was strange how it was no longer so strange to think of them as a couple. How everything had just sort of fell into place.

Stefan paid for breakfast and they decided to go for a walk along the river. Elena looped her arm through his as she held Mia, taking in the sights. "Everything I have is yours too, you know" he whispered softly after they had been walking for a while.

Elena looked up at him and smiled. "I know" she said. Slowly and surely, she would be able to accept that she was a part of his life now and that he wanted to take care of her and Mia. "I wanted to talk to you about something" she added quickly. "I talked with a director at another private school in the city. They need a part-time Kindergarten teacher during the week … and I would like to do it" she said. "Twelve hours a week. Caroline said she would watch Mia …" she trailed off, peeking up at him for his approval.

Stefan stopped, causing her to stop. "As long as you do this because you want to, and not because you think you have to, I think it would be an excellent idea" he said, smiling down at her.

"I do want to" Elena said, nodding. "I hate the thought of leaving Mia, but I think spending time with Caroline will be good for both of them" she added.

Stefan grabbed Mia from her, seeing that her arms were getting tired. "I think so too" Stefan agreed, kissing Mia and looping his arm back through Elena's. "So, tell me about this teaching position" he said, genuinely interested in what she would be doing. Elena's face lit up as she launched into detail about what her job would entail. She had so many ideas and was truly excited about working with kids again. And Stefan knew that this would be good for her – to do what she loved to do most.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"I am so excited to get her for a couple of hours each day" Caroline said, helping Elena carry plates and food out to the back yard. "We are going to have so much fun" she said excitedly.

"I'm glad you are looking forward to your time together" Elena said, setting a bowl of salad on the table. "Just promise me you won't spoil her with clothes and stuff" Elena warned.

"Psshhh" Caroline laughed. "She's going to be my new shopping buddy. Of course she's going to get everything her little heart desires" Caroline informed her, still laughing at Elena's warning.

"Food is ready" Stefan announced, taking various items off of the grill and placing them on the plate.

As if on cue, Damon came walking out of the house with Mia, dressed in only her diaper. "Thank God I'm starving" Damon announced. All three stopped and looked at Damon with their jaws slightly dropped. "What?" he asked, patting Mia's back as he looked at his confused family.

"Is that duct tape?" Caroline asked in shock. "Holding her diaper closed?" she asked again.

Damon looked down at Mia and then looked back at his wife, smiling proudly. "I changed her diaper all by myself" he told her. "Stays on and everything" he smiled.

Elena grabbed Caroline's arm before her friend could freak out on Damon. He had tried. That was the point. And in Elena's opinion, it was pretty adorable. "Thank you Damon" Elena said, walking towards him. "Why don't you sit down and eat and I will get Mia all settled" she offered.

"Okay" he shrugged, passing Mia over to Elena.

Elena smiled at both Stefan and Caroline who both rolled their eyes. She slipped back inside, went upstairs, and carefully undid the duct tape, putting on a fresh diaper and a little outfit she would be comfortable in. "That's better huh" Elena said, grabbing Mia off of her changing table and kissing her. Mia gave her a big smile and it made Elena's heart melt. "You have such a beautiful smile" Elena told Mia, earning her another smile. "You are such a pretty baby" Elena added, kissing Mia again and walking back downstairs.

When Elena walked back outside, Stefan stood and grabbed Mia from her so she could sit down and eat. "She was all smiles a few minutes ago" Elena informed them.

"She's smiling now?" Caroline asked. "I want to see!" she demanded, looking at Mia's face. Mia gave her a pouty face, having no interest in smiling for her. "Smile for Auntie Caroline" she said, making a silly face. Mia just stared at her.

"Here" Stefan said, turning Mia so he could look at her. "Smile for me pretty girl" Stefan said, giving Mia his own big smile. Mia instantly broke out in a smile and reached her hands up to touch his lips. He kissed her hands, and she smiled even more. "I love you" he said, kissing her hands some more.

"You guys are so precious" Caroline said, snapping pictures of them with her phone.

Stefan looked up at Elena and saw her looking adoringly at back at him. "They really are" Elena said, smiling at Stefan. They were two reasons why she looked forward to getting up each day. They were her everything.

**A/N: I adore Stefan and Mia. Until next time …**


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N: As I mentioned on Twitter, this update is a little bit shorter, but hopefully just as good! Please do let me know what you think. I love reading my reviews and Tweets. Yes, I read them all to get feedback from you. It helps me decide where to take my story next!**

**Thank you all so much!**

Four months. Elena couldn't believe her little one was four months old already. Stefan had to finish getting Mia's Halloween costume on because Elena couldn't stop crying long enough to get the outfit on. They were a mixture of happy tears and sad ones too. Her little girl was growing up.

Mia was a fairy. A pink and green fairy, complete with sparkly wings and little white booties. Caroline and Elena had picked the costume out after a lengthy battle with the boys who had wanted Mia to be a pirate. In the end, the girls won out and Stefan was happy about it. Mia looked adorable. Damon on the other hand was still pouting.

Damon and Caroline had chosen a pair of rock star costumes for themselves, complete with the sunglasses. Stefan and Elena had chosen to be a knight and a princess, mainly because Stefan wanted to carry around a plastic sword and Elena wanted a big dress.

The party was being held at Damon and Caroline's house. Just a small family get-together. Jeremy showed up too, dressed as a cowboy. Mia was fascinated with his hat.

Elena stood just outside the kitchen watching her daughter with Jeremy. He was so good with her and she loved him. She loved everyone though. Elena felt a hand run through her hair and turned slightly to see Stefan behind her. "What are you doing?" he asked.

She smiled, grabbing his arms and wrapping them around her. "Just watching Mia" she said, resting her head against him. "She's such a happy baby."

Stefan smiled too. "She is" he agreed, hugging her against him. He intended to keep her that way. Happy, healthy, always smiling. It broke his heart whenever Mia cried. Luckily, he was good at getting her to smile again pretty quickly.

Jeremy looked up and smiled when he saw them looking at him. He stood up with Mia and walked towards them. "I hate to bail, but I have a long drive home and a paper to write" he said, kissing the side of Mia's face before handing her to Elena. "Thank you guys for inviting me" he said, leaning in and kissing his sister's cheek. "Stefan" Jeremy nodded, shaking his hand.

"Oh, are you leaving?" Caroline asked, frowning as she came around the corner with a fresh bowl of chocolate dipped strawberries.

"I have to get some stuff done for school" Jeremy said reluctantly, pulling her into a hug. "Thank you, this was a lot of fun" he said.

Caroline hugged him back. "Thank you for coming. You drive safe, okay?" she told him, letting him go.

"I will" Jeremy said. "Bye Damon!" Jeremy called out, not quite sure where Damon was.

Caroline walked him to the door, giving him one last hug goodbye. Then she turned around and smiled. "Now we can play that couples game!" she said excitedly.

"No" Damon groaned, coming down the stairs. "Where's your brother?" he asked Elena, looking around.

"He had to go home" Elena told him. "And I'd love to play this game" Elena said to Caroline. "You'll play, right?" she asked, turning to Stefan with that hint of begging in her eyes.

Damon glared at his brother, warning him to choose his answer wisely. "Umm … yes" Stefan said. He shrugged at Damon and accepted his kiss from Elena.

"You are so whipped" Damon said under his breath as he walked by.

"Yay!" Caroline said, setting the strawberries down and running upstairs to grab the cards she had made. She was back in minutes, waving them in her hand as she took her seat next to Damon on the couch. Elena put Mia in her swing and she happily swung back and forth while watching them. Caroline grabbed four notepads and pens and distributed them. "Okay, so the way this works is, we read a question one at a time and write down our answer. Our partner also has to write down the answer. If it matches, you get a point. Got it?" she asked. There were some nods and some shrugs, so she continued. "Okay. Elena can go first" she said, grabbing the first card. "Elena, what is the first meal Stefan ever cooked for you" she said.

Stefan and Elena both grabbed their notepads and went to work on the answers. "Done" Elena said. She looked at Stefan and smiled before flipping her notepad over. "Stefan made me stuffed chicken marsala" Elena said. She looked over at Stefan and watched him flip his paper over. It read the same. "We were 17 and he made me dinner because I helped him with his research project" she smiled.

Damon rolled his eyes, but Caroline was beaming from ear to ear. "I remember that!" Caroline said. "You talked about his cooking for days" she reminded. Elena blushed slightly. She had done that. "Okay. Damon's turn. What did I get you for Christmas last year?" she asked, writing her own answer down quickly as he thought about it.

She waited impatiently while Damon scribbled his answer down. "A wallet" he said, showing his answer.

"A wallet?" Caroline screeched. She flipped over her paper. "I bought you a new watch!" she said, frustrated that they had lost a point. "How do you not remember that?" she asked abruptly. "It was in a blue box with white and gold ribbon!" she reminded harshly.

"Sorry, jeez" Damon said, throwing his hands up.

Stefan and Elena laughed, finding it funny that Caroline was taking the game so seriously. "Whatever Damon" Caroline said coldly. She picked up the next card and addressed Stefan. "What is Elena's favorite restaurant?"

Both went to work on their answers. "The Melting Pot" Stefan said. Elena confirmed that his answer was correct. They kissed, quite happy with their winning status.

Elena grabbed the next card to read to Caroline. "What would be Damon's dream vacation?" Elena asked.

"Greece" Caroline answered. Damon shook his head no. "What!" she yelled out. "You told me last month you wanted to go to Greece!" she reminded him.

"Yeah, wanted to. That doesn't mean it is my dream vacation. Tahiti is my dream vacation" he explained. Caroline looked at him venomously. "You wanted to play" Damon reminded, earning a smack on is leg from her.

Caroline shook her head at him but pressed on with the game. She read the card in her head first and then smiled. "Elena, when is Stefan's favorite time to have sex?" she said, forgetting all about her losing streak and grinning at the question she had just asked.

Elena paled as three sets of eyes were on her now. "I'm not answering that" Elena said.

"You wanted to play too" Damon reminded her, grinning. "We're all adults here" he added, sitting back and crossing his arms.

Elena felt herself smile slowly, but she still didn't want to answer. Damon had a point though. She had wanted to play. Elena sighed as she wrote her answer down anyway and saw that Stefan was writing too. "I hate you" Elena said to Caroline, flipping her paper over to show Caroline her answer.

"In the shower before work" Caroline read before bursting into a fit of laughter. "Really?" Caroline asked, looking to Stefan for his answer.

"Yeah, what can I say" Stefan said, showing the same answer.

"Nice" Damon said, holding his hand up for a high-five from his brother, but not getting one.

Elena buried her face in her heads, sure that she was turning red.

Stefan grabbed Elena, pulling her close and kissing the top of her head to try and relieve some of her embarrassment. "Apparently we share everything in this family" he whispered to her, causing her to laugh.

"Apparently" Elena said.

"That's actually really sweet. I don't suppose you two get a lot of time alone with Mia" Caroline said, leaning back against Damon. "How come we don't do it in the shower anymore?" she asked.

Damon shrugged. "I don't know" he answered. "Maybe because our shower isn't very big" he stated. "You know, not a lot of room to move. Like if you wanted to get your leg up and …" he began, only to be cut off by his brother and Elena.

Both jumped up. "We should be going" Elena said quickly with Stefan right behind her, urging her to move faster before his brother continued with his description of him and Caroline in the shower. "Thank you for having us" Elena said, grabbing Mia from her swing.

"Oh, you have to go too?" Caroline asked sadly. "We were just getting the game started" she said, frowning.

"I know. I'm sorry. But Mia should be put to bed soon" Elena said, handing Mia to Caroline to distract her.

It worked. "Hi Baby" Caroline smiled, kissing Mia's forehead. "I will see you soon" Caroline said, hugging her close.

"Very soon" Damon said, kissing the top of Mia's head from behind Caroline.

Caroline kissed Mia one last time before handing her to Stefan. "We'll walk you guys out" she said, following behind them.

Stefan put Mia in her car seat while Elena hugged Caroline and Damon goodbye. "Thank you again. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yes you will" Caroline smiled, moving to Stefan to hug him goodbye. "Take care of my girls" Caroline told him, getting her kiss on the cheek before he let her go.

"You know I do" he smiled. "Bye Damon" Stefan said, giving his brother a hug too.

Stefan opened Elena's door for her and went around the car, getting in the driver's side. Damon wrapped Caroline in his arms as they watched the family drive off. "I love them" Caroline said, wiping at a tear she hadn't known was falling.

"I love them too" Damon said, kissing his wife.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Elena yawned as she began to undress Mia and get her out of her costume. Stefan rested his hand against her shoulder lightly. "I can get her ready for bed" he offered.

"That's okay" she told him, holding up Mia's costume. "Do you think next year she will be old enough to go trick-or-treating?" she asked, placing the costume back on its hanger.

"I think so" Stefan said, leaving her side for a moment to grab something for Mia to sleep in.

"Get the pink jumpsuit with the elephant on it" Elena told him, turning around to make sure he knew what she was talking about.

Stefan had already grabbed it though, knowing that Mia liked that one the best. "She sleeps best in this one" Stefan said, smiling down at Elena as he put it on Mia. "Feet first" Stefan said, grabbing Mia's feet and kissing them. Mia laughed. That was her new thing. Laughing. It had amused them to no end when she had first started doing it a few weeks ago. They would sit with her for hours and get her to laugh. Stefan got her feet into the pajamas and then grabbed her hands, kissing those too. Mia again laughed and kicked her feet. "You're so silly" he smiled, putting her arms through the pajamas and zipping her up. "But I love you" he said, leaning close to her and kissing her nose. Mia waved her hands around before finally grabbing his face. "It's time for bed" he whispered, staring right into her eyes as she stared right back at him. It didn't matter how many times Elena watched Stefan and Mia – she still fell in love with their connection all over again. She could watch them forever. Stefan picked Mia up and turned towards Elena. "Give Mommy kisses" Stefan said, holding Mia out to Elena.

Elena laughed as Stefan made kissy noises and handed Mia over to her. "Say, no, Daddy is the silly one" Elena said, giving Mia a big smile. Mia smiled right back at her. "Goodnight" Elena said, kissing Mia before walking her to her crib and laying her down. Stefan grabbed Elena's hand as they left the nursery. He turned on Mia's nightlight on the way out. "It's amazing" Elena said, leaning against him as they made their way down to their room. "Watching the two of you. She completely adores you."

"It's easy" Stefan said, shrugging slightly. She turned her head slightly and looked up at him. "I always knew I could love her. Seeing her love me though? Connecting with her? I don't even think about it anymore" he said, slipping his arm around her.

"Think about what?" Elena asked.

"That she's not my biological daughter" he said, sitting down on the bed with Elena. "I had these fears that she wouldn't love me as her father. Like, somehow, even at this age, she would know I wasn't him" he said quietly. "Now, when I see her face light up when she sees me? I don't have to worry anymore. In fact, I forget about everything that doesn't have to do with the three of us" he added, playing with a long strand of Elena's hair falling down her back.

Elena looked up at him, on the verge of tears, but ones of relief he thought. "One day, we'll tell her" Elena said, giving his hand a squeeze. "She deserves to know. But it won't matter. Because the one that is supposed to matter will be looking right at her, loving her the way he has since I was four months pregnant" she said, smiling up at him as a single tear fell down her cheek.

Stefan wiped it away gently and leaned in to kiss her. "I love you" he said, leaning his head against hers. Elena made everything make sense for him, even when it probably shouldn't have sometimes.

"I love you too Stefan" she said, wrapping her arms around him and bringing him into a hug. "Always."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Sunday morning. Elena was in the kitchen, getting herself some cereal while she waited for Stefan to come downstairs. She had wanted to spend the day with Stefan and was finally letting Caroline and Damon watch Mia all day. She was nervous and would probably call Caroline every hour, but she was excited to spend the day with Stefan.

Elena crossed the kitchen and grabbed the box of cereal she wanted. She saw Stefan and smiled. "Good morning" she said cheerfully, turning her back to him as she grabbed a bowl. She opened the box of cereal. "So, what do you think about going hiking up by the waterfalls?" Elena asked, setting the bowl down and turning around to look at him.

She dropped the open cereal box on the floor and small, tiny pieces of cereal scattered around her. "Stefan?" she barely got out as she witnessed him kneeing before her, holding a small open box with a ring inside of it.

"Elena Lynn Gilbert" he said calmly. "Will you marry me?"

**A/N: :) **


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N: I am thinking only two more updates for this story. I am sad to end it, but my busy schedule starts in two weeks and I will only be able to handle one story. :(**

**But I have really enjoyed writing this story! Enjoy this update and tell me what you think.**

Elena stared at Stefan and he stared right back at her. To say she was surprised was an understatement. Her eyes dropped to the ring in the box he was holding. Beautiful. Probably expensive. She looked back to his eyes and saw that they were expectant. "Are … are you sure?" she finally asked.

Stefan remained where he was kneeling on the floor. "Yes" he answered, letting a small smile accompany his answer. "The only thing I have been just as sure about was signing Mia's adoption papers" he added.

She let go of the shock that had paralyzed her moments earlier. The love of her life, the father of her child, was kneeling before her, promising her a forever. Slowly, she inhaled a big breath and nodded her head. "Yes, yes I will marry you" she smiled.

He stood up so quickly and moved to her, taking the ring out of its box and grabbing her left hand. Slowly, he slid the ring on her finger and let his hand linger on hers. That's how it was supposed to be. Elena, wearing his ring. He smiled when he saw Elena admiring it. He had spent months looking for the perfect ring. As soon as he had seen it, he knew.

"Stefan, it's beautiful. Perfect" she said, smiling as she looked up at him. "I love you" she said, leaning in and kissing him.

He backed her up against the counter as he kissed her. Swiftly, and with quite the precision she noted, he lifted her up onto the counter without ever breaking that kiss. He had never felt this completely happy. "God I love you" he said, practically ready to climb up on the counter with her.

Elena laughed when she heard the door open, because the door would open at a time like this. She pushed Stefan away from her and hopped off of the counter. "Hello?" Elena asked, laughing again as he continued to try and kiss her. "Stefan, we have company" she laughed.

Caroline and Damon both entered the house. Elena could tell Caroline was about ready to burst with excitement. "Hi" Caroline said, being as obvious as possible. "We're early, I know. But we wanted to get Mia and let you two start your day together as soon as possible" she said.

Elena noticed that Caroline was trying to look at her left hand that was tucked away behind Stefan's back. Elena couldn't help it – she too was excited about her engagement. Elena smiled as big as she could, bringing her left hand out to show Caroline. "We're engaged" Elena said, barely containing her own excitement as Caroline began squealing.

Caroline jumped up and down with Elena before throwing her arms around her and squeezing her tight. "I'm so happy for you!" she gushed. "Have you set a date? We have so much to get done!" Caroline said, going into full wedding planner mode. "Location, guests, flowers, food, dresses …" she listed off.

"No, no date yet" Stefan told her. "I just asked her five minutes ago" he informed. And to be honest, a date was not what was on his mind when he was kissing Elena.

Caroline grinned. "Come here you" she said, leaving Elena and wrapping her arms around Stefan. "You deserve this" she whispered. For so long, all she had wanted was for him to be happy. No one seemed to make him as happy as Elena did.

Damon winked at Elena before holding his arms out for her. "Come here Sister" he said, wrapping her up in a hug. "Welcome officially to the family" he told her.

"Thank you" Elena said, returning his hug.

Damon hugged his brother next. "Good for you man" Damon said, slapping his brother's back.

"Thanks Damon" Stefan said, welcoming his brother's sincerity. It probably wouldn't be around for long.

"Well, you two lovebirds had better get going" Caroline said, pushing Stefan and Elena out of the kitchen and towards the front door.

"Hang on" Elena laughed, stopping Caroline. "I need to tell Mia goodbye and show you everything you will need for her" she reminded.

Damon rolled his eyes. "Oh my God Elena. Eat. Sleep. Poop" he said. "We've got it."

"There's also tummy time and reading" Stefan informed his overconfident brother.

"Elena, I hang out with you and Mia most days. I know what she needs" Caroline said, grabbing Elena's shoulders. "I've kept Damon alive for two years. I think I can keep a baby, who doesn't move a lot, alive for eight hours" she added.

Elena grinned. Yes, keeping Damon alive was an accomplishment. She was very thankful that Stefan didn't inherit the daredevil genes. "Okay. Let me just go and get her then" she said, disappearing up the stairs.

"Is she going to be okay today?" Caroline asked, worried that Elena wouldn't make it the full eight hours away from Mia.

Stefan wrapped his arm around his friend and smiled. "Mia's her first. She's just a tad overprotective. But she will be fine" Stefan explained. Then he leaned in a little closer to Caroline. "Don't let Damon do the diaper changing. I hid all of the duct tape, but I'm sure he would find something else to use" he whispered.

Caroline laughed because she knew it was true. "Okay" she agreed.

Elena came down the stairs with a wide-eyed Mia moments later. "Are you gonna stay with Auntie Caroline and Uncle Damon today?" Elena asked. Mia looked around at the crowd of people staring at her before her eyes locked onto Stefan. She smiled brightly and moved her arms up and down. Elena didn't hesitate to hand her over to Stefan. It was Mia's new thing. Her "Hand me over to Dad or so help me God, I will cry an ear-piercing cry that will leave you deaf" act.

Stefan smiled at Mia, kissing her head. "We should be back by six or so" Stefan said, walking to the closet and opening it. "Her diaper bag is in here if you end up going somewhere. I'll leave my car so you can have a car seat" he added. "Other than that, have a good time" he smiled, kissing Mia again before handing her to his brother.

Elena's worry was starting to show, but she bravely walked to Damon and gave Mia a big kiss. "Be good. Mommy will see you tonight" Elena said.

Mia really didn't care all that much when her mom and dad walked out the door. The button on Damon's shirt was far more interesting. "Hundred bucks says she calls within five minutes, starting now" he said, looking at his watch.

Caroline grinned. "I'll give her at least ten" she said, walking over to the couch and sitting down. "So, what do you want to do first?" Caroline asked.

Damon shrugged. "The park?" he asked. "Before it gets too hot out."

"Park. Nap. Lunch" Caroline said. "Sounds like a plan" she said, standing back up to get Mia's diaper bag. Damon grabbed Stefan's keys off of the table. They were barely out the front door when Caroline's phone rang. She sighed and showed Damon the screen. Elena.

Damon smirked. "I knew it" he said, shutting his brother's front door. He got Mia squared away in the car while Caroline took the call.

"Sunscreen" Caroline informed him, getting into the car and digging through the bag. "We have to put it on Mia" she added.

Damon grimaced as he started his brother's car. "We didn't wear sunscreen when we were kids and we're still alive" he pointed out, backing out of the driveway.

Caroline shrugged and turned around to carefully apply it on Mia. "Momma's instructions" Caroline said.

It was a short drive to the park and Damon was thankful it wasn't very busy. The last time he had come here with his brother and Mia, the kids hadn't been willing to share the swings. That and they had thrown a Frisbee and hit his car.

Caroline took Mia out of her car seat and headed for the swings. She held Mia in her lap tight and moved the swing back just a little before letting go. Damon knelt down in front of them and waved at Mia, smiling as he took video and pictures with his phone. "I think she likes swinging" Damon said, pocketing his phone for the time being. He sat completely on the ground and watched as his wife and niece continued to swing back and forth slowly. Caroline was focusing on Mia, talking to her about something. "Do you want one?" Damon asked suddenly.

Caroline's head snapped up immediately. "Do I want what?" she asked carefully.

"One of those" Damon said, pointing at Mia.

Caroline let his question register for a moment. "We already discussed that we didn't want kids" she reminded him.

Damon stared at her for a moment. "That was before Mia" he said, picking up a small piece of bark and tossing it out of the play area. "I watch you with her and I can't help but think that you would make a really great mom" he added.

Caroline looked at him for a long moment before a small smile spread across her face. That was probably the sweetest, most sincere thing he had ever said to her. "Yeah, I kind of want one someday" she said, grabbing Mia's hands and waving them at Damon.

"Okay" Damon smiled. "Whenever you're ready" he said.

"Yeah?" Caroline asked. "You want to be a dad?"

Damon shrugged. "I could be a dad" he said. He hadn't thought much about it until Mia had arrived. But he watched his brother and saw how much time and energy Stefan spent on loving Mia. Not to mention, Stefan seemed to love and adore Elena that much more since Mia came into the picture. He kind of wanted that. All of it. He'd never admit any of it though.

"I think you would be an amazing dad" she told him. Minus the diaper changing, she thought.

Damon smiled and stood up, brushing his pants off. He walked over and sat down on the swing next to Caroline and Mia. "I don't tell you this often enough, but, I love you" he said.

Caroline smiled. "I love you too" she told him, leaning over and meeting him halfway for a kiss. Mia fussed, clearly unhappy with no longer being the focus of everyone's attention. Caroline laughed as she pulled away from Damon. "Sorry, are we not paying attention to you?" she asked.

Damon held Mia's foot and watched her look at him. "You're such a drama queen" he told her. "Just like your dad."

Caroline laughed, not expecting that statement at all, but realizing, she probably should have. "Don't tell your daddy that" Caroline said, patting Mia's side. "You just want to make sure we love you too. Which, we do" she said, kissing Mia's head.

"We sure do" Damon smiled, grabbing her little hand and kissing it.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Stefan had a blanket spread out on a grassy area at the base of the falls. It was a beautiful, sunny day and he had chosen a secluded spot where they could be alone. She had left his side for a moment, saying that she had to get her lotion out. He had almost fallen for it when he saw her bent over her phone, typing away on it. "Elena!" he said, moving quickly to grab her. She dodged him narrowly, trying to send her message to Caroline to ask how Mia was doing. He had ahold of her legs, pulling her back to him.

"No, hold on!" she whined, trying to finish the message.

"Mia is fine. Put the phone down" he warned, continuing to pull her towards him. He climbed on top of her, pinning her arms down.

"Stefan" she laughed, having no other choice but to let go of her phone and to surrender.

He let go of one of her arms and took the phone, tossing it back into her bag. Then, he pinned her arm down again and smiled before moving his head down towards hers. "If anything were wrong, they would call us" he reminded, whispering in her ear. He kissed down her throat, reaching her collarbone.

She had no choice but to close her eyes, relax, and surrender to his intoxicating lips. "Stefan" she breathed, smiling when she felt him smile against her skin. "Someone could see us …"

Stefan's hands slid up her arms, past her wrists, and interlocked with her hands as he kissed his way back up to her lips. He felt the cool metal of her engagement ring against his finger and it made his heart skip. He loved her so much. "No one ever comes up this far" he reassured her.

"Okay" she said, giving in. She almost felt like she was 18 again, sneaking off with Stefan like this. She pushed on his hands, letting him know she wanted to sit up. She grabbed the hem of his shirt and he lifted his arms so she could get it off. Then she pushed him sideways, effectively flipping them over. She repeated what he had done to her minutes earlier, running her lips along his throat and over his shoulders. She sat up some and ran her hands over his chest and then his abs, admiring him. "When do you ever find time to work out anymore?" she asked, letting a smile play on her lips as she traced the lines on his stomach.

Stefan smiled too as his hands rested on her waist, lightly caressing the skin underneath her shirt. "After Mia gets up and before you do" he said, moving his hands down and over her backside, pulling her forward as he sat up. He kissed her hard, one hand tangling in her hair and the other tightly wrapped around her waist, pulling her completely against him.

When they broke apart, their foreheads were still touching as they breathed heavily. "That's a shame" she said, resting her hands on his muscular arms. "I'd love to see you all hot and sweaty after a workout" she said, biting his bottom lip playfully.

He growled, low in his throat and it made her gasp. She let go of his lip and he captured hers in another breathtaking kiss. His fingers reached up and slowly began to unbutton her shirt. "I'll wake you up next time before I get in the shower" he promised, whispering in her ear.

Excitement coursed through her as she let her arms fall slack so he could push her shirt off. "Have you … ever done this outdoors?" she asked bashfully.

Stefan laughed. "No" he said, kissing her cheek and then her chin and then her lips quickly. "But I've always wanted to" he whispered.

The excitement in his eyes was evident and she thought he was incredibly adorable. She grabbed his left hand and looked at his watch. "You've got 30 minutes" she said, fully intending to get back home by six.

Stefan grabbed her face gently and kissed her briefly. "I'll take it" he agreed. "But I would love to have hours with you out here" he added, biting her bottom lip this time. Elena smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him even closer. He laid her back onto the blanket and continued with undressing her.

Yes, 30 minutes would do for now. But the next time, he silently promised himself, they would have hours and he would take his time, exploring her body with the sound of falling water behind them.


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N: Only one more update to go after you read this one. No one is going to cry because there will be other stories to read in the future :)**

**I hope you enjoy this update. Review and let me know what you think!**

Stefan shut his computer down in his home office. His eyes were tired, most likely from staring at a computer screen for the last two hours. He leaned back in his chair and shut his eyes.

A quiet, slow creaking noise caught his attention and when he opened his eyes and looked at the door, he could see Mia pushing on the door, holding on to the side of the doorframe to keep herself balanced.

Stefan smiled. He couldn't believe she would be a year old when he woke up tomorrow. Time certainly had flown by, though he enjoyed every minute of it.

Mia let go of the doorframe and began the slow wobble towards him. She had been walking for a month now, though she was really beginning to stay up and balanced the last week. Stefan opened his arms and smiled as he waited for her to reach him. She in turn smiled brightly, picking up her pace when she was close enough so he could grab her if she began to fall. "Da da da da da da da" she said, finally reaching his chair and welcoming his arms lifting her to him.

"Hi Beautiful" he said, hugging her tight as he kissed the side of her cheek. "What are you still doing up?" he asked her.

"Uh-oh" she said.

"Uh-oh?" he asked. She was picking up new words almost every week now.

"Mia?" Elena called out.

"She's in here!" Stefan called, waiting for Elena to join them.

Elena entered the room moments later with her hands on her hips. "You're getting too fast for me" she smiled.

"Mommy" Mia said, holding her arms out for her. Stefan set her down on her feet and off she went, wobbling her way to Elena. She reached Elena and clung to her leg. "Uh-oh" she said.

"Why does she keep saying that?" Stefan asked.

Elena picked her up and shrugged. "She probably heard one of us say it" she said. "Which reminds me, we need to have another conversation with your brother about watching his language around her. She's starting to pick stuff up now and the last thing I need is her saying the F word" Elena said.

"Uh-oh" Mia said, clapping her hands.

"Uh-oh is right" Stefan smiled, standing up and walking to them. "You need to get to bed. We have swim lessons tomorrow morning" he reminded her.

"Dada" she said, reaching her arms out for him.

Stefan grabbed her, held her in one arm, and wrapped his other arm around Elena as they made their way out of the room and up the stairs.

Stefan laid Mia down with her blanket and brushed her messy brown hair off of her forehead. "Goodnight Mia" Stefan said softly.

"Goodnight sweetheart" Elena said, bending down to kiss her.

Mia yawned a few times and Stefan and Elena slowly backed out of the room, leaving the door cracked. "She's getting so much better about going to sleep" Stefan noted, pulling Elena close to him as they walked downstairs.

"Thank goodness" Elena said, parting ways with him to shut off the kitchen light. She met him back in the living room where he had turned all the lights off except one lamp. "Do you want to go to bed or stay up a little longer and watch a movie?" she asked.

Stefan grabbed a large, soft throw blanket and smiled as he approached her. "I had something else in mind" he said, wrapping the blanket around both of them. He pushed them both down on the couch.

"Like what?" she asked, playing dumb as his hands came to rest on her waist.

"Mmm … snuggling" he whispered, kissing her lips as he moved closer to her.

Elena worked her arms up and around his neck, pulling him even closer. "You know what makes for good snuggling?" she asked.

"What?" Stefan asked, his curiosity increasing.

Elena ducked her head into the crook of his neck and kissed there gently. "This" she whispered, unbuttoning the first button on his shirt and sneaking her hand inside.

"Yeah?" he smiled, grabbing on to the bottom of her shirt and slowly, really slowly, dragging it upwards.

Elena unbuttoned another button and kissed the newly exposed skin on his chest. Stefan leaned back some and finished taking her shirt off. Elena giggled as he attacked her shoulder with kisses, knocked her backwards on the couch. Elena quickly finished unbuttoning his shirt and he shrugged it off, pulling the blanket over them and moving closer to her, snuggling against her.

He made her feel so damn special all the time, and moments like these made her realize how much she loved being with him. She couldn't imagine being anywhere else but with him. "What are you thinking about?" he asked against her ear.

"You. And me" she said, wrapping her arms around him and hugging him against her. "How much I love being loved by you …" she trailed off, feeling him kissing his way along her jaw.

"I love loving you" he said, capturing her lips in a sweet, slow gentle kiss. It had kind of been his mission in life since he was younger.

She sighed contently when he rested his head against her shoulder, clearly in no hurry to get any more clothes off. Occasionally he would kiss her shoulder, running his hands up and down her arms. For the most part, he intertwined his fingers with hers and laid there in silence with her. "What are you thinking about?" she asked, repeating his own question from moments earlier.

Stefan sighed, moving slightly so he could look at her. "How much happier I have been this past year compared to the last few years" he smiled.

Elena reached her hand up and touched his face gently. "We've been extremely happy this past year, with you" she said, smiling. He was so good to her and Mia, and not just with providing. Every moment he could, he spent it with them. She knew he was dead tired after working all day and probably would have loved a nap when he got home, but Mia demanded his full attention as soon as he got in the door. And he never once turned her down. Mia had grown accustomed to waiting by the door for him, sometimes for an hour.

They ate dinner together as a family, spent time together after and he still was able to have time for just the two of them after Mia went to bed.

"I like making you two happy" he said, turning his head to kiss the inside of her palm.

"I know" she said. "We like making you happy too" she grinned.

He leaned down and kissed her lips again. "We should probably head up to bed" he said, stifling a yawn. "Swim lessons and a one year old's birthday party tomorrow" he reminded.

"Yeah, you're right" she said. He pulled away from her reluctantly, then scooped his arms under her, picking her up and taking her with him. "Wait, the light!" she said, pointing toward the lamp he had walked past. Stefan backtracked and bent down so she could switch the light off. He headed back towards the stairs with her. "Is the door locked?" she asked.

"Yes" he said, kissing the side of her head as he went up the stairs. She laughed when he dropped her on the bed and fell on top of her. "Is Caroline going to help you set up the birthday party while I take Mia to her swim lesson?" he asked

"Yep" Elena said, pushing on him so he rolled off of her. She switched her lamp off before moving back towards him, resting her head on his chest. She smiled when she felt his arms move around her. "Jenna and Alaric will arrive sometime in the morning" she added.

"A whole year old" Stefan said, running his hand down her naked back. "I can't believe it" he sighed.

"She'll be driving before we know it" Elena said, kissing his chest playfully.

"What kind of car do you think she'll want?" he asked, pressing his fingers into her skin as he ran his fingers up her spine. He heard Elena laugh, as though he was joking. "What?" he asked. "I just think we need to start thinking about how much money to put away for the expensive sports car Caroline is going to convince her she can't live without" he smiled.

"Let's cross that bridge when we get to it" she said. She sighed when he moved his hands over her back again. "Keep rubbing my back like that" she whispered, closing her eyes. "That feels amazing." It was selfish, because she knew he was tired and needed to get to sleep. But feeling his hands run over her back was soothing and it was going to put her fast asleep.

"Of course" he whispered back, running his hands up and down her back firmly, but gently. "Go to sleep" he added, kissing her head.

"Goodnight" she murmured, snuggling even closer to him.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Happy birthday Baby" Elena said, smiling brightly as Stefan brought her downstairs, already dressed in her swimsuit. Mia smiled at her, clearly happy to be the center of attention. "All smiles" she said, holding her arms out and taking Mia from Stefan. "When do you think you two will be home?" she asked.

"Probably about 11:00" he answered. "I'm going to take her to that little bakery on the west side and get her those strawberry pancakes she loves so much" he added. Elena smiled. Ever since she had started eating regular foods, Stefan had taken her to that bakery after swim lessons to get strawberry pancakes.

"Sounds good" Elena said, kissing Mia. "You two should probably get going" Elena said, handing Mia back to him.

"We'll see you in a few hours" Stefan said, taking the baby and bending down to kiss Elena. "Love you."

"Love you too, have fun" Elena said, kissing Mia and Stefan quickly. She grabbed their bag, already packed with towels and extra clothes.

"We will" Stefan smiled, taking the bag from Elena and leaving. Elena leaned against the counter in the kitchen and sighed. She had so much to do, and only a few hours to do it.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Stefan was the only dad in the Saturday morning swim class. The other seven parents were moms. It had been weird at first, but after months of watching Mia have fun, he learned to relax and even talk with some of the moms from time to time. They all thought he was completely adorable, being the only dad there and one who completely adored the little girl in the pink ruffle swim suit.

For the most part, his full attention was on Mia and listening to the swim instructor telling them what to do and when.

Mia was a natural though. Sure, she couldn't swim yet, but Stefan could already tell she was going to be amazing. He had actually decided that about everything she would do.

Her favorite part about the pool was splashing him though, usually with her hands. She would laugh and laugh after she did it and laugh even more when he would laugh with her. He would spin her around in the water and she would giggle. Stefan often wondered why none of the other babies ever had as much fun as she did.

"Alright class, that is it for today" the instructor said, making sure to say goodbye to each little swimmer as they got out of the pool.

"We gotta go" Stefan said, lifting Mia out of the water. They said their goodbyes to the instructor and Stefan hurried into the locker room to get them dried and changed.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

He remembered the exact time Mia had decided she loved strawberry pancakes. He had ordered them for himself and ordered her oatmeal. She had put more oatmeal on her face than in her mouth and once he had given her a taste of his pancake, she had decided she wanted those instead.

So when the waitress set down a plate of strawberry pancakes, Mia's eyes lit up as she immediately went for the whipped topping on top. Elena had been pushing for Mia to start using her baby spoon when eating, but when it was just Mia and Daddy, Stefan really cared about nothing else but Mia's happiness. And if grabbing whipped topping with her hands and scooping it into her mouth made her happy, Stefan let her do it.

He went to work on cutting up the pancakes into pieces she could chew while also pouring her glass of juice into her sippy cup, adding a little water to it as well. Mia picked up the first piece of pancake and stuck it in her mouth. She picked up another and lifted her hand up to give it to him, which he gladly accepted. They had been working on the concept of sharing for weeks now and Stefan was pretty sure she had it down. "Do you know how old you are today?" he asked her. Mia held up her hand with all five fingers showing. Stefan chuckled. "Not quite" he told her, putting four of them down. "You are one today" he told her.

"One" she repeated, picking up another piece of pancake. "Dada" she said, leaning back and looking up at him from his lap.

His heart melted every single time she called him that. "Yeah?" he asked, kissing the top of her head. She laughed and went back to her plate of pancakes. He smiled and watched her.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Stefan opened the front door, carrying Mia with him. The entire house was decorated for her birthday and there were more balloons than he could count. They walked into the living room and very softly, so as not to scare her, her guests yelled "surprise" when they saw her.

Mia immediately tucked her face into Stefan's shoulder, deciding now, of all times, to be shy. "Hey, say hi to your guests" Stefan said, rubbing her back. Slowly, she turned to see everyone again and as soon as they waved at her, she smiled and hid herself back into Stefan's shoulder.

Caroline was the first to approach, rubbing her back gently as she looked at her. "Hi Mia" Caroline whispered, smiling when Mia turned towards her. Mia broke out into a big smile and instantly reached for her aunt. Caroline gladly took Mia and kissed her a dozen times, sending Mia into a frenzy of giggles.

"She should get a bath" Stefan told Caroline.

"Okay" Caroline said, waving to Jenna. "Want to help?" she asked.

Jenna gladly accepted as she moved across the living room. "Good to see you again" she said, stopping and giving Stefan a giant hug and a kiss on the cheek before following Caroline upstairs.

The only other guests were Jeremy, Damon, and Alaric and Stefan was okay with just a small party. "How was swimming and breakfast?" Elena asked, moving towards him.

"Really good" Stefan said, bending down and kissing her. "I should run upstairs and shower too" he said quietly, pulling her closer suddenly. "Wanna join me?" he whispered.

Elena giggled quietly. "You know I want to" she whispered back. "But I have a house full of people to entertain. Next time" she promised, patting his shoulder before pulling herself away from him.

Stefan pouted, but he understood. "Be back soon" he said, winking at her. "Alaric, good to see you" Stefan waved before dashing out of the room.

He was in and out of the shower in five minutes, tossing on a clean t-shirt and a pair of jeans. He could hear laughing coming from the room down the hall and as he approached, a baby in a diaper came waddling out of the room, on a getaway mission. She saw Stefan and immediately moved faster towards him. Jenna and Caroline were already coming out of the room after her, but it was too late. She was already happily in Stefan's arms. "Man she's fast" Jenna said.

"She sure is" Stefan said, handing her back to Jenna. "Those baby gates I ordered should be here tomorrow" he said, knowing they needed to go up now that she was on the move so much.

"Which dress?" Caroline said, holding up a yellow one and a purple one.

Stefan made a disapproving face. "Put her in pants and a t-shirt so she can crawl around on the floor" he told her. Caroline wasn't about to argue with him, but she did not approve. She loved putting Mia in dresses.

"Your daddy has no fashion sense whatsoever" Caroline told Mia before glaring at Stefan. The girls disappeared back into Mia's room and Stefan went downstairs.

As soon as he reached the bottom, Alaric appeared in front of him with a serious look on his face. "We need to have a little chat" he said, motioning for Stefan to follow him out the front door. Stefan looked around before following. "Now, I know I am about a year and some months too late" Alaric said, walking past the cars and onto the sidewalk. Stefan quickly caught up. "But we need to get a few things straight" he said, preparing for the long talk he was about to give. "Jenna and I love Elena and Mia dearly" he began and Stefan suddenly had a feeling he knew where this was going. "We appreciate everything that you have done for them, and that you are serious about a future with both of them" he added.

"I love them both" Stefan cut in.

"Don't interrupt me" Alaric warned, pointing his finger at him as they walked. "As long as Elena is happy, and Mia is happy, Jenna and I are happy" he explained. Then he stopped and turned to Stefan. "So, if Elena or Mia are ever not happy and we find out about it" he said, the same serious expression plastered across his face. "I will not hesitate to fly out here, and punch you in the face" he told him. Stefan swallowed nervously and then nodded. "Really hard" Alaric emphasized. "Do I make myself clear?" he asked, his voice low and filled with warning.

"Yes, yes Sir" Stefan nodded nervously. He knew Alaric could beat the crap out of him if he wanted to.

Alaric sighed and then nodded as well. "So, how's the job?" he asked cheerfully, his demeanor doing a complete 180.

"It's good, yours?" Stefan asked awkwardly as they walked back towards the house.

"Not bad" Alaric replied, keeping up with the simple "guy" chat.

Elena was waiting for them by the front door as they walked back. "What were you two doing?" she smiled, slipping her arm around Stefan.

"Just catching up" Stefan replied, smiling at her. Alaric smiled and nodded as he slipped past them.

"Oh, okay" Elena said. "Mia is looking for you. She's ready to sing happy birthday and rip into her presents" she informed him.

"Let's get in there then" he said, opening the door and following her inside.

Elena disappeared into the kitchen to grab the cake, one with a lot of flowers, while Stefan grabbed Mia from the floor where she was sitting, looking for him. Elena came out with the cake lit and Stefan walked towards her as everyone sang. Mia's eyes were glued to the cake. When they had finished singing, Stefan blew out the candle for Mia and everyone clapped.

The presents were next. Mia hadn't really grasped the concept of opening the presents herself yet, but she was more than happy to let her mom and dad open them for her and take the toys out of the packaging for her to play with.

An entire toy musical set, including a keyboard, drums, guitar, and microphone from none other than the soon to be dead brother and sister-in-law. It made entirely too much noise and Mia loved it. The more noise she could make, the better. "You're welcome" Damon said, grinning as he watched Mia. Elena and Stefan were less amused, but at least Mia was enjoying herself.

A rocking horse from Uncle Jeremy which she could ride with some help. She loved that too.

Toys that talked to her and an electronic book that made barnyard animal noises from Aunt Jenna and Alaric. Those amused her while Elena passed out cake.

Mia helped herself to Damon's plate of cake as she sat in his lap and he gave her small bites in-between his own.

Elena watched from the kitchen and Jenna came to stand with her, wrapping her arm around her. "She's such a loving little girl" Jenna said. "She's just like you at that age. Daddy's little girl and always demanding to be the center of attention."

Elena smiled. "I'm really glad you could be here for this" Elena said. She hated living so far away from Jenna.

"I'll be here for a lot more in another month or so" Jenna said. Elena turned to look at her Aunt with confusion. Then excitement. "Alaric and I are moving back to Mystic Falls. He got a job offer to teach at the high school again" she smiled.

"Really?" Elena asked excitedly as she pulled Jenna into a hug. "That is so great to hear" Elena said. "I've missed having you around."

"I miss being around, especially now that you have Mia" Jenna said, pulling away from Elena. "So, just wish us luck that we can find a house soon" she added, smiling as she moved some of Elena's hair out of her face.

"I'll find you a house myself if I have to" Elena smiled.

"What are you two so happy about?" Stefan asked, bringing his plate into the kitchen.

"Jenna and Alaric are moving back to Mystic Falls" Elena said happily.

"Yeah? That's great" Stefan said, smiling at both of them. It would be nice for Mia to have Jenna around. It would be great for Elena too.

"Dada" Mia said, waddling into the room with frosted, sticky fingers. "Dada uh-oh" she said, holding her hands up for him to see.

"Uh-oh" he said, bending down to pick her up and setting her on the counter. He grabbed a napkin and put some water on it before scrubbing her face and her hands. "All better" he said, kissing her head and setting her back down on her feet.

"Uh-oh uh-oh!" she yelled, making her way back into the living room.

Elena and Jenna shared a knowing look before breaking out into smiles. He truly was so good with Mia. It all came so natural that he didn't even blink in front of the two of them as he took care of Mia. "I'm going to see if Alaric needs anything else" Jenna said.

Stefan took advantage of their moment alone and slipped his arms around her, pulling her close and kissing her. "I love you" he whispered, kissing against her ear and letting his hands roam.

"Uh-oh" Elena whispered, smiling at her use of Mia's new word. "Stefan" she laughed, shying away from him when she felt his lips sucking gently against her neck. "Not here" she warned. Anyone could walk in at any moment.

Stefan sighed and rested his head against her shoulder. "Tonight?" he asked, hoping to have something to look forward to.

"Tonight" she whispered, kissing his cheek before slipping out of his arms and heading back to the living room.

Stefan smiled as he watched her.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

His hand pressed against the back of the shower wall, bracing her back as he pushed her against it. Stefan placed openmouthed kisses on her body, tracing droplets of water down her skin. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes, sighing from a combination of the warm water and Stefan's tongue. It took everything she had to keep herself standing, rather than sinking to the shower floor in a melted puddle of sensation. "Stefan" she breathed out, gripping his shoulders to keep her upright.

His tongue trailed back up her body ever so slowly, finally stopping at her lips. He kissed her hard, deepening the kiss as much as he could. Her arms slipped around his back, pulling him close. Stefan broke the kiss and went to work on nibbling her ear. "Yes?" he whispered breathlessly into her ear.

"Stop teasing" she groaned, arching her hips towards his. He bit down on her ear gently and she gasped.

He grabbed her legs abruptly, picking her up and letting her legs fall carelessly around his waist. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.

The water continued to run down them, presenting quite a challenge for him to keep her up against the wall. But he enjoyed every moment of it. "God, Elena" he groaned, burying his face into her neck.

She was panting hard and he could feel her chest beating against his. He loved the feeling and couldn't believe they didn't do this more often. "Stefan" she said through her heavy breaths, collapsing against him.

They remained where they were for a few minutes, Stefan pressing Elena up against the shower wall and Elena slumped over him. "Thank you" Stefan said, barely loud enough for her to hear.

Elena laughed. "For what?" she asked. She honestly thought she was the one that should be thanking him.

Stefan grabbed her face and peeled her wet hair away from her eyes. "For moments like this" he said, cupping her face and kissing her.


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N: This is the final update for this story. It has been one of my favorites to write and I want to thank you all for standing by it and reading. I know writing a story with Stefan raising a child that is not biologically his can be a turn-off for readers, but I think the storyline actually helped to develop Stefan's character and gave us a pretty good idea about his love for Elena. **

**Please read and review this last chapter. I can't say if there will be a sequel, as there are a few other stories I want to write, but I won't rule it out either :)**

**Thank you all again so much! Enjoy!**

He could hear her even before she could see him. That's usually how it worked. Her new shoes echoed off of the hardwood floor as she came running into the room, dressed in her new outfit for her first day of kindergarten. She stopped, smiled, and twirled for him to show off her jean skirt, black leggings, cowgirl boots, pink long-sleeved shirt, and her frilly jean jacket vest. About a $550 outfit, courtesy of her Aunt Caroline. Her hair was in two braided pigtails and she was going to be the cutest kid in kindergarten. He was sure of it. "How do I look Daddy?" she asked, twirling again for him so he could get another look.

Stefan got up out of his chair and whistled low as he looked her over. "You look very pretty" he told her, smiling as he bent down and picked her up. "Are you ready for your first day?" he asked.

Mia nodded her head enthusiastically. "Are you going with Mommy to drop me off?" she asked hopeful.

The guilt was already invading his chest, squeezing at his heart and making him feel horrible. He had wanted so badly to be there for her first day of school. "I have to go to work, but I am picking you up after school today, remember?" he asked her. Mia looked down at her boots, a frown replacing her beautiful smile. He could have died right then and there.

"But I really want you to take me to school" she said sadly.

It broke his heart and he momentarily thought about calling in sick. "I know" he said, feeling more horrible by the second. "But, I am taking you out for strawberry pancakes after I pick you up" he said, hoping that would help some.

This got her to look up at him. "You promise?" she asked.

Stefan smiled with relief. "I promise" he said, kissing her head. "Why don't you eat your breakfast while I go and find Mommy" he said, setting in a chair with a plate of food in front of her before heading upstairs.

Stefan wandered into their room, finding Elena sitting on the bed, getting her shoes on. "She's eating breakfast" Stefan said, sitting down next to Elena.

"Good. A moment's rest" Elena said, smiling at her own joke.

But Stefan could see how tired she really was. "Was my baby boy keeping you up all night again?" Stefan asked, leaning down and kissing Elena's baby bump.

Elena smiled as she watched him. "Yeah. He was doing flips in there all night" Elena said, placing her hand on her stomach. "Two more months though" Elena smiled.

"I can't wait to meet him" Stefan said, resting his head on her stomach. He was adorably excited. "You be good for Mommy and let her have a nap today" Stefan said, talking to him. He was a firm believer that the baby could hear him. This, touching her baby bump and talking to the baby, were all things he didn't get to do with Mia. He hadn't realized how much he had missed out on.

"I would love an uninterrupted nap today" Elena said, running her hand through his hair.

Stefan brought his head back up and smiled at her, gently leaning in to kiss her. "I love you" he told her. He felt bad. This pregnancy had been much rougher on her than the first one, but she was still being a trooper. "I just wish there was more I could do" he said, resting his head against hers.

"It would be nice if you could carry him the last two months and then push him out" she said, cracking a smile. At least she still had her sense of humor.

Stefan smiled too, placing both his hands on her baby bump and kissing her cheek. "I would if I could" he told her. She knew he would, too. He had wanted this baby so bad for so long and seven months ago, she had stopped her birth control. She hadn't told him though, and the day she came in with the peed on pregnancy stick indicating that she was indeed pregnant had been a dream come true for him. He had run towards her, picked her up and spun her around so many times she had almost gotten sick. Seeing him so happy was worth every single bout of morning sickness and every one of those sleepless nights.

She was excited too, though, despite it all. She had always wanted one of each. A girl and a boy. Mia was still convinced she was getting a baby sister, no matter how many times her parents told her the baby was going to be a boy. "You had better get to work" Elena said, giving him one last kiss.

Stefan helped her to her feet and walked with her downstairs. Mia was waiting at the bottom with her backpack on. "I'm ready" she said, smiling at them.

Elena began to get teary-eyed and Stefan saw, pulling her into a hug. "You promised you weren't going to cry on this day" Stefan reminded her, half sympathizing with her and half laughing at her.

"That's before you got me pregnant" she said, crying slightly. "Now I can't control my emotions" she added.

Stefan kissed her neck and rubbed her back. "She's so excited. She's going to be okay. You're going to be okay" he said, continuing to hug her.

Elena nodded, wiping at her tears as she pulled away from him. "Are you ready baby?" Elena asked, grabbing Mia's hand.

"I am I am!" Mia sang, barely containing her excitement.

"Give your dad a hug goodbye then. We don't want to be late on your first day" Elena told her.

Mia flung her arms around Stefan's legs. "Bye Daddy" she said, smiling as she looked straight up at him.

Stefan picked her up for one last hug, shaking his head at the new Coach backpack she was sporting, courtesy of her Uncle Damon. Most kids got a $20 princess backpack from the local stores. Not his little girl though. Damon had paid good money for it to be a one of a kind bag with her very own name stitched into it for personal effect. "You have a wonderful first day of school" he told her, kissing her forehead. "I'll see you this afternoon" he added. He accepted his kiss on the cheek from her before setting her down.

Mia grabbed Elena's hand and tugged on it. "Come on Mommy!" she insisted, pulling a very pregnant Elena towards the door.

"Love you" Stefan laughed before heading into the kitchen to take care of Mia's plate and to grab his coffee. He got some creamer out of the fridge and when he went to put it back, he had to stop and admire the photo of the three of them hanging on the fridge. Taken about a year ago at Disneyland. Mia had been so excited when they had surprised her, telling her they were going on a trip and waking up the next morning to realize she was going to Disneyland. On her birthday. Damon and Caroline had come along too to celebrate.

He glanced at the small calendar sitting next to the photo. They would celebrate their wedding anniversary in less than a month. He'd been officially married to her for two years now. It was a very small wedding, much to Caroline's dismay, but it had been perfect for them. Because in all honesty, he had been married to Elena since they were seven years old, when Elena had wanted to play house and held a wedding ceremony one afternoon, vowing to be his wife until death do them part. Or, until he had to go home that evening. Same thing, really.

Nothing between them had changed really, except he was pretty sure he continued to love her a little more each day. He heard his co-workers gripe every day about their wives and how unhappy they were at home. Stefan would have rather been at home with Elena and Mia than anywhere else. Maybe he was lucky. Elena was his other half. And maybe, he just loved her so much that he never made the time to pick out the things he didn't like about her. He loved her too much to dwell on what his life would be like without her.

He smiled before finishing with his coffee. He was out the door, counting down the hours until he could pick Mia up after school. His little girl was getting so big.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Elena let herself inside her house, dropped her purse near the door and made her way to the couch. She grabbed the throw blanket off of a nearby chair and plopped down into the new couch she had convinced Stefan they had needed. It was so much more comfortable for naps. She situated the blanket over herself and propped a couch pillow behind her head. She sighed and closed her eyes. The baby wasn't rolling around. Maybe she could get in a two hour nap after all.

It wasn't two minutes later that the front door opened and Elena heard a screaming baby enter the house. The shrilling scream that made her ears want to explode. She sighed and sat up just in time to see Damon coming around the corner, holding his little screaming baby boy and looking exhausted and defeated. "He won't stop" Damon said, on the verge of breaking down into frustrated tears "Caroline went grocery shopping and she's not picking up her phone. I don't know what to do" he said exasperated.

Elena took pity on him and stood, grabbing the crying little guy out of his arms. "Hey now, what's wrong?" Elena asked, holding him close to her. At just three weeks old, he sure did have a set of lungs on him. Max. They had named him Max and he was such a cutie. Max's screams softened as she held him, but he continued to cry. "He's hungry" Elena concluded, listening intently to his cries and watching him look at her.

"I tried feeding him. He wouldn't eat" Damon said, opening the diaper bag he was sporting and handing Elena a bottle. It was still warm, so Damon must have tried not that long ago.

Elena sat back down, placing Max between her chest and her baby bump, cradling him in her arms as she offered him the bottle. He resisted a little at first, but he soon began feeding. His cries ceased as he sucked on the bottle. "There we go" Elena smiled, bending down and kissing his head full of dark curly hair. He had the most beautiful blue eyes and Elena hoped that her son would have Stefan's green eyes since Mia had her brown ones.

Elena looked over at Damon who looked utterly speechless as he watched Elena calm his screaming baby down. "He hates me" Damon concluded, falling back into a chair.

Elena laughed lightly at how dramatic Damon was being. "He doesn't hate you" Elena assured him. "You're still getting the hang of it. He's just frustrated that you don't understand what he wants and he can't tell you" she explained.

"You knew exactly what he wanted" Damon pointed out. He really was a failure. Caroline was amazing with him too.

"I've done this before" Elena reminded him. "It takes time. You're both adjusting." Elena turned and looked down at the little boy in her arms, content with his bottle.

"I haven't slept in three weeks" Damon sighed. Clearly, this whole fatherhood thing hadn't been as easy as he thought. "Stefan makes it look so easy" he pouted.

Elena laughed again. "Believe me, nothing about parenthood is easy" she told him. "I'm not telling you it gets easier, but it does get better" she promised him. Then, carefully she stood, grabbing her throw blanket. "Take a nap. I'll look after him for a few hours" she said, covering him with the blanket and handing him a pillow.

Damon grabbed her hand and squeezed it tight, looking at her like she was an angel. "You are a Godsend" Damon praised, letting her hand go and curling up with the blanket.

He closed his eyes and by the time Elena made it out of the living room, Damon was fast asleep. "Looks like it's just you and me little guy" Elena said, walking up the stairs with him.

He finished his bottle and Elena sat in her rocking chair, burping him. It wasn't long after that he needed his diaper changed. She hadn't heard a peep from Damon, so she assumed he was still asleep. Elena grabbed the swing and went back to her room, hoping Max would settle down and take a nap too.

But as soon as she put him in the swing and walked away, he began to fuss. Elena sighed and went back for him. "What is it with you Salvatore's and your neediness?" she asked, picking him back up and smiling. Elena grabbed him a binky and set him down in the middle of the bed while she lay right next to him. She rubbed his back as she watched his eyes slowly become sleepy.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

3:15. Stefan had left work plenty early so he could get Mia on time. He signed in at the front and went into the gym where all the kids would be waiting for pick up. The Kindergarteners were the first ones inside and Stefan saw Mia at about the same time she saw him. "Daddy!" she yelled, practically running over any kid in her way to get to him. She ran straight into his arms and he picked her up, bringing her in for a hug.

"Hi Beautiful" he said, kissing her cheek. "How was your first day?" he asked.

"Good!" she said excitedly. "I got to be the line leader at lunch cause I was the quietest when we were supposed to be quiet" she informed him.

"That's awesome" he said, setting her back down.

Mia went to work on opening up her backpack and taking out various papers. "I also got two stickers!" she added, holding up two assignments. One sticker was for putting her name on her paper and the other was for her good handwriting. Stefan wouldn't have called it good. It was excellent. Much more legible than his own.

Stefan took the papers and looked them over closely. "I am so proud of you" Stefan told her, kissing the top of her head. "Two stickers on the first day?" he asked. "I think that deserves a special present" he told her, helping her stuff them back into her folder.

Mia's eyes lit up. "A present?" she asked. Just the sight of her so excited made his heart melt. He couldn't explain how much he loved her and how she made him feel. It was incredible though.

"Anything you want" Stefan told her. He banked on her asking for a new doll or a trip to the aquarium.

"Can I have a pony?" she asked. Stefan looked at how serious she was with her answer. "Cause Jennifer in my class has a pony and she showed us pictures. I want a pony to ride just like her, Daddy" Mia said, her excitement building once again.

Well how was he supposed to say no to that? Stefan bent down to her level. "If you want a pony, you have to promise that you will brush it and ride it and give it lots of love" he told her.

Mia nodded her head excitedly. "I will Daddy I will!" she promised. "So, can I have one?" she asked hopeful.

"I'll tell you what. You and I will go looking at ponies this weekend and we will pick you out the best pony we can find" he told her. Sure, Elena was going to kill him.

"I love you Daddy!" Mia squealed, throwing her little arms around his neck and hugging him tight. He could care less what Elena was going to do to him though, because right now, he was pretty damn sure he had the happiest little girl alive. Sure, she would be fatherless by the end of the day when Elena found out he was buying their five year old a pony, but right now, he had this moment. And it would be one that Mia would remember for a long time.

And a moment she could talk about in his eulogy.

"I love you too" Stefan said, standing up and taking her with him. "You ready for those strawberry pancakes?" he asked.

Mia nodded. "Do ponies eat strawberry pancakes?" she asked as they walked out of the school.

"I don't know" Stefan answered. He'd never even been on a horse before, let alone knew what they ate. "We will have to ask someone what they eat" he told her, opening up his car door and getting her situated in her booster seat.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

It was almost 3:30 when Elena felt someone shake her awake. She awoke slowly, remembering that she had a baby next to her. He was still sound asleep. She looked up to see Damon hovering over her. "I should get him home. Caroline called wondering where we were" he whispered.

Elena nodded and carefully moved off of the bed so Damon could pick up the baby. He held Max close to him and smiled. "Thank you" he whispered to her.

Elena smiled. "You're welcome. Anytime" she said, and she meant it. She loved being a mother and she would consider Caroline and Damon's kids as much her own as her own kids. Elena walked him out, helping him with getting Max into his car seat without waking him. She waved goodbye to them and made her way back inside. Stefan and Mia would be home in an hour or so. She could do laundry until then. Or, she could sit on the couch with a pint of rocky road ice cream and watch T.V.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Stefan helped Mia out of the car and she ran off inside without him. He laughed at how eager she was to tell her mom all about her first day at school. Stefan grabbed her backpack and his briefcase and barely made it halfway to the front door before Elena emerged, looking mighty pissed. Yeah. She knew about the pony.

Stefan set their bags on the hood of the car and smiled at her, making his way towards her. "Elena, Baby" he said, holding his arms out for her.

"Don't you "Elena Baby" me!" she snapped, crossing her arms over her stomach. "A pony?" she asked, raising her voice. "Are you crazy?" she yelled a little louder. "You told a five year old you would take her to buy a pony this weekend" Elena said in disbelief.

"Not any five year old" Stefan corrected. "Our five year old" he said, trying to be cute. But Elena was not having any of that according to the deadly glare she was giving him.

"Where are we going to keep a pony?" Elena asked.

Stefan shrugged. Minor detail. "We can board it" he said, handing out one option. "But I think Mia would really love to have the pony at home so she could see it every day" he added.

"Our backyard is not big enough to keep a pony" Elena pointed out, still thoroughly pissed with him.

Stefan stepped towards her again, grabbing her tense arms and wrapping his own around her, moving as close to her as he could until his lower torso pressed up against her baby bump. He placed a light kiss on the side of her chin and then another on the corner of her mouth. "Then maybe we'll just have to buy a new home with more acreage so her pony can live with us" Stefan said, capturing her lips with his finally.

She gave in, holding onto his arms as she let him kiss her. He let go of her lips and trailed his down along the side of her neck. She closed her eyes and gripped his arms tighter to steady herself. God, she missed their bedroom escapades so much. Those times were few and far between now, mainly because she was so uncomfortable during this pregnancy. And while, _down there_ didn't necessarily welcome the sex, the rest of her body was still very much in tune with want and need. "Finding a house could take months" she reminded softly, leaning herself against him as little more.

Stefan smiled against her collarbone. "What if I said I already found one?" he asked.

Elena's head popped right up upon hearing this. "You were house hunting?" she asked.

He tried to gage whether or not she was mad. She didn't appear to be. "I just sort of started searching around when I found out you were pregnant again" he shrugged, like it was no big deal. "I love this house, but with two kids, I just think we need more space. Especially outside" he explained. "And the house I found has five bedrooms and three bathrooms. And God knows between you and Mia, us guys are going to need one free bathroom so we can get ready and out the door on time" he smiled, accepting the small swat of her hand that landed on his waist. "There's 10 acres, all fenced. We could easily build a little barn and even a covered arena if Mia really gets into horses" he explained. "A large wrap-around deck and I'll get a playground set up in the backyard for them both" he said, becoming more and more excited as he continued to talk. "It's down a private gravel road, so we don't have to worry about cars."

"Wow" Elena said, taking it all in. "It sounds amazing" she told him. "How much?" she asked.

Stefan grinned. "That's not for you to worry about" he told her. "I'll take you to see it and if you like it, I'll call my guy and make an offer" he told her, attempting to move around her and go inside.

"Not so fast" Elena said, grabbing onto his shirt. "How much, Stefan?" she asked.

"I don't know, like $575,000" he told her and watched her eyes practically bug out of her head. "But I think I can get them down to $500,000" he said quickly.

"Half a million?" Elena asked in disbelief. "You want to spend half a million dollars on a house?" she asked. The one they were in was perfectly fine for her.

Stefan grabbed her face in his hands gently. "I don't care about the price if it means my family will be happy and safe" Stefan told her softly. "We have money saved up, and then we can sell this one. We've got more than enough money" he reminded her.

Elena knew that. It had taken her a little time to get used to the fact that even without her working, she could afford some of the things she would have never even dreamed about getting for herself, especially once Mia came into the picture. Like being able to buy expensive clothes without waiting for them to go on sale or spending half the day at a spa, getting her nails and her hair done. But Stefan encouraged it.

Stefan let his hands slide down to the sides of her waist. "At least come and look at the house?" he asked, practically pleading with her.

"Fine" Elena said, giving in. Stefan smiled and moved in to kiss her again, but she ducked her head out of the way. "I'm still mad about the pony" she told him.

"I know Elena, but if you would have seen her face" he said, a giant smiling appearing across his beautiful face.

And right there. That's when Elena couldn't be mad at him anymore. Because as much as Stefan spoiled Mia, gave her anything she wanted and then some, Elena knew that Stefan was just loving his daughter. And if they could afford it and Stefan was willing to pick up horse crap every day and pay for Mia to take lessons, Elena guessed it wouldn't be all that bad. "She has you wrapped around her little finger" Elena said, letting his lips sneak up and brush against hers.

Stefan smiled against her lips. "I'm perfectly okay with that" he told her.

Elena laughed lightly. "Are you going to spoil him as much as you spoil her?" she asked, placing her hand on top of his that was now resting on her pregnant stomach.

"Of course" Stefan grinned. "But, she is my first born. And she'll always be my baby girl, so, by default, she gets anything and everything she wants" Stefan explained. "She'll show him the ropes though, I'm sure. Teach him how to get what he wants from us" he added, resting his forehead against hers.

Elena laughed again. Of course she would. "We had better get inside" Elena told him, allowing him to move away from her for a moment to grab the bags off of his car. His arms were back around her instantly though as he walked behind her, kissing on her neck as they went. "Do you even know what ponies eat?" Elena asked as the front door shut behind them.

"Not a clue" Stefan said, dropping the bags and continuing to kiss along her shoulder. "We'll have to Google it" he said, causing her to smile.

"You'd buy that child a volcano if she asked for it" Elena said, shaking her head lightly.

"Then we'd definitely need that 10 acres" Stefan replied, causing her to smile even more.

That was his special skill though, making her smile when she was intent on being irritated with him. He had perfected it over the years and she finally stopped calling him out on it. She loved him too damn much to be mad at him for too long anyways.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

It hadn't taken much convincing to get Elena to agree to buy the house. Now, they had been living in it for almost three years. It was quiet and peaceful out there and with each new day, Elena loved it a little more. "Did you ever think your life would turn out like this?" Caroline asked, sipping from her juice box as she watched her son, Max, and Stefan and Elena's little boy, Lucas, bury their Tonka Trucks in the sand box Stefan had built in the backyard.

Elena looked over at Caroline, sipping on her own juice box. "Before I had Mia? No" Elena answered. "After I had Mia and I let myself feel safe with Stefan? Absolutely" she smiled, looking back at the two boys playing together. Both three years old and already the best of friends. Elena almost felt bad for Mia, being the oldest and only girl. But when she saw Mia come flying around the side of the house on the pony Stefan had bought her three years earlier, any worries she had about Mia feeling left out had vanished. Elena had stopped worrying about Mia's safety around the pony too. Sure, she had fallen off a few times, but for the most part, that pony took care of her. And Mia was obsessed with it. Every time Elena turned around, Mia was riding that pony, with no saddle or bridle half the time. Elena insisted that a helmet be worn all the time though and Stefan stuck by her on that one.

"Look at her go" Caroline said, watching Mia lope the pony is a large circle before stopping, doing a few side passes, and then continuing on with her loping. "Those lessons look like they've paid off" she added.

Elena smiled. "She's a natural. And she dotes on that pony like you wouldn't believe" Elena said, watching her daughter. It truly had been the best idea on Stefan's part.

They could hear Damon and Stefan laughing about something as they came outside. Both little boys looked up and ran to their respective fathers. The girls' hearts warmed watching their men be so kind and loving to their little boys. They picked them up and walked to the patio table to sit with the girls.

It still made Elena nervous to watch Stefan with Lucas. There was never any doubt in her mind that he didn't love Mia, but sometimes she wondered if Stefan didn't love Lucas just a little bit more because he was biologically his. He was always so good about making sure he gave them both the same amount of attention. They both got alone time with him, not to mention the time he spent with both of them.

It was silly to think Stefan differentiated between the two. He had never once slipped, calling Mia _her_ daughter. And Mia didn't seem to think any differently about Stefan, so clearly, he still treated her like his little girl. It was just hard when some of her old insecurities resurfaced. They usually never lasted long when they did, but she hoped one day, they would stay gone for good.

"How old does she have to be to enter the rodeo?" Damon asked, watching Mia turn around some plastic barrels Stefan had set up for her out in the field. "I'd put money on her and that pony for sure" he said, watching in amazement as his niece cut close to the barrels, but never close enough to knock them over.

"There's a junior rodeo club she's been thinking about joining" Stefan mentioned, grabbing his little boy's hand before he could pull on Max's hair. "But she's way faster than all of them. It wouldn't be fair" Stefan shrugged.

Elena swatted his leg from beside him. "Be nice. Not all kids can be as extraordinary as yours" she reminded.

"I'm just saying" Stefan told her, grinning. "She's pretty advanced for her age."

Mia rode up to them until her pony's nose was touching Stefan's shoulder. "Lookin' good out there" Damon said, patting the pony's neck.

Mia smiled. "He's pretty fast, huh?" Mia asked, leaning forward and hugging on her pony.

"He sure is" Caroline said. "So how about you and I go shopping this weekend for some new riding clothes?" Caroline asked.

"New boots?" Mia asked, her smile widening.

"Always. A couple of pairs this time" Caroline told her.

"Yes!" Mia said excitedly. Boots were her new thing. Riding boots, of course.

Stefan stood and plopped Lucas down into Elena's lap. "Go put that Pony away. The pizza will be here any minute" Stefan told her. Mia rolled her eyes. An Elena trait, Stefan had decided. Stefan grinned as he reached over quickly and grabbed Mia, pulling her off of the pony. True to his nature, the pony stood still while this was going on. "No eye-rolling missy!" Stefan said, tipping her upside down and tickling her.

"Okay okay!" Mia laughed. Stefan kissed her cheek before setting her back on her feet. "Come on Jetson" Mia said, clicking her tongue as she walked by. The pony tossed his head and hurried to catch up to her, following her back into the pasture.

Stefan went to greet the pizza delivery guy and Elena, having passed Lucas off to Caroline, got the plates and drinks.

It was times like these, when the seven of them were sitting around the table together, that made Stefan realize how incredibly lucky he was. Not only to have a beautiful, loving wife and two beautiful, wonderful children, but also to have a brother and sister-in law with a beautiful, wonderful little boy of their own. They were a small family, but he was okay with that.

As his family talked, he sat back and watched for a moment. When he found the chance, he leaned over and whispered into Elena's ear that he loved her. She turned and looked at him, holding Lucas in her arms while he had Mia in his lap, and smiled, repeating the same words to him.

END.


End file.
